RWBY: Dark Souls
by ArtC
Summary: Ruby had just learned that she has the Darksign, a mark that curses all humans it presents itself on. Because of her mark, she is banished from the kingdom she resided in. With her banishment, she ends up in another kingdom called Drangleic. With the threat of becoming mindless and hollow, Ruby sets out on a journey across Drangleic to find the supposed 'cure'.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there reader! You have the chance to join me and the cast of RWBY on an adventure through the kingdom of Drangleic! ****So yeah, this story is going to be in the Dark Souls world(specifically Dark Souls 2) and probably will get dark as the story goes. If any of you played Dark Souls or Dark Souls 2, hopefully you'll all understand the world of this story that we will explore. Those you haven't played it at all or still don't understand, I'll try my best to explain it**

**The Darksign is a mark that signifies an accursed Undead. Those branded with it are reborn after death, but will one day lose their mind and go Hollow. Death triggers the Darksign, which returns its bearer to the last bonfire rested at, but at the cost of all humanity and souls. The symptomatology of being Hollow includes drastic changes in physical appearance. Skin appears slightly decomposed and the body thoroughly dehydrated, prominent veins can be seen surrounding the heart although physical signs may only be indicative of progression into a Hollowed state and not of being entirely Hollowed. Hollowing can be temporarily reversed by offering a Human Effigy at a Bonfire, restoring human appearance. However, death results in reverting to a semi-Hollowed state.**

**The story revolves around a male or female Undead human known as the "bearer of the curse". They have a journey to Drangleic, which is rumored to be home to powerful souls that can help Undead regain their humanity and avoid the fate of going mindless and fully hollowed. The bearer of the curse finds their way to Majula, a settlement in Drangleic, where they meet a woman known as the Emerald Herald, who acts as the Undead's guide. She asks the Undead to seek four ancient beings with immense souls, and Vendrick, the king of Drangleic. To do this, the Undead must explore and face the challenges Drangleic has waiting for them.**

**That'll be the best I can give for now. Information is from the Dark Souls wiki. There will be a lot of uses in Dark Souls items so I'll try my best to explain those too without being overbearing or vague. If any questions arise concerning the world, PM me or review and I'll try my best to address all questions. I don't have a set day when I'll be updating this story since my other fic, "Remnant: Beacon Academy" is my main priority. This story will be updated though and I will NEVER give up on stories I post. That's a promise.**

**Chapter 1: Enter Drangleic**

"Mom? What's going on?" Ruby Rose, a fifteen-year-old girl, asked. She was clad in all grey clothing. The tunic, the trousers, the boots. They all were gray. Her family wasn't a wealthy one in the Kingdom of Vale so she couldn't get better clothing. It didn't help that it was only her mom earning the income since her father passed away from sickness.

Her mother, Summer Rose, was crying like there was no tomorrow. "H...honey. They're...they're taking you away."

Ruby's eyes widened and her heart stopped beating. "Wha...why?!" Panic started to nest itself inside of Ruby. She watched the soldiers of the kingdom who had rudely entered the house grab food and supplies and stuff them into a bag.

Summer hugged her daughter. "You know that mark on your back? It's actually not a birthmark. It's...it's a curse." she informed.

"A curse? What makes it a curse?" Ruby felt the spot on her back right below her right shoulder where the mark was."

Ruby's mother looked hesitant to tell, but the realization that she was never going to see her daughter again made her determined to inform Ruby. "It's-"

One of the Vale soldiers ripped Ruby away from Summer's embrace. "Alright cursed one, you are going to join the other cursed and be removed from the kingdom at once!" the soldier commanded.

As the soldier started to drag Ruby out the door, Ruby screamed for her mom. "Mom! Please don't let them take me away! Please!"

Summer, not being able to listen to her daughter's cries for help, ran up to the departing guard and took Ruby from his grasp. "No! You will not take my daughter away from me!"

The soldier's two companions moved to his side. "Miss, she has the curse. If she remains here, she'll curse the rest of the kingdom."

"No! She won't curse anyone! I'll make sure of it! Just don't take away my kid!" Summer defended.

"Miss, you have one more chance. Put the girl in our custody or-"

"Stay away!" Summer interrupted.

The soldier sighed. "Hand me the bag. I'll give it to the kid after you secure her. Go deal with the mom and grab the kid." he told his companions. The two other soldiers followed orders and moved towards Summer and Ruby. Summer fought the two fiercely to protect her only daughter. She kept them at bay, her mother's instinct winning. The two soldiers looked to their leader. The leader only gave them a thumbs down gesture. The two soldiers knew what they had to do. They unsheathed their swords and rushed towards the resisting woman. It was only after a couple of dodges before Summer was impaled in the abdomen.

"MOM!" Ruby yelled out. One of the soldiers seized Ruby and threatened her by holding a sword to her neck.

Summer fell on her knees, holding her abdomen in pain. The leader walked up to her. "You are a sympathizer for the cursed. You have disobeyed the military and risked having the entire kingdom fall under the curse. This is a great treachery and for that, you must be punished." The leader looked at one of his soldiers. "Make it quick. Join us at the gathering when you're done." he commanded. The leader took ahold of Ruby and started dragging her out of the house.

"No! Mom!" Ruby reached out for her mother, eyes filled with tears as she was nearing the exit.

Summer looked to her departing daughter, unable to do anything. Mustering all the energy she could, she make her final gesture and would speak her final words. She took the silver locket from around her neck and tossed it to Ruby, who caught it. "I...love you my sweet daughter. Never...never forget that." Summer weakly stated. Ruby stopped her struggle when she realized that it was futile. Luckily for her, the leader took her outside, making Ruby lose sight of Summer right before the soldier brought down his sword.

_'I love you too mom. Goodbye.'_ Ruby said in her head. Tears flowed freely from her face, knowing the fate that came upon her mom.

...

_One Day Later_

Ruby sat below deck in one of the many boats holding bearers of the curse, almost lifeless. She had no idea where she and the rest of the cursed were being transported to. Ruby looked to her fellow prisoners. Some were crying and weeping. Some were almost lifeless just like her. And a few just outright looked like they didn't care. She was informed of the curse and the Darksign by one of them earlier. She could already see symptoms starting to display itself on some of the prisoners, mostly the ones who looked lifeless.

"Hey kid. You better start to feel at least a bit of hope if you want to stay human and not lose your mind." the same man said who informed Ruby earlier.

"What's the point?" Ruby asked.

"There is none. But I think I'd rather keep my appearance human and my thoughts mine." the man said.

Ruby pulled out her mother's locket from her pocket. She gently rubbed the surface of it with her thumb, feeling the texture of the intricate details that were inscribed on it. Looking at the locket granted Ruby some comfort. At least she would always have something to remember her mother. A weak smile grew on her face.

"That's better. Hey kid, sorry you have to go through this. No one should have to go through this. Name's Tukson." Tukson extended his hand out to Ruby.

"Ruby." she answered as she shook Tukson's hand.

"I don't know where they are taking us, but if we are released, we should stick together. I've been through my fair share of survival and combat experiences when I was a knight of Vale. so I'm sure we can survive. What do you say?" Tukson said.

Ruby had very little survival or combat experience. If she wanted to survive, her best chance would be with Tukson. "Sure. I'll come with you."

"That's great! Tell you what, I'll try to teach you a few things while we wait. At least you'll be somewhat prepared if they release us." Tukson offered.

…

_Thirty Minutes Later_

"Do you understand now?" Tukson asked. Ruby nodded. Tukson has been doing his best to try and prepare the girl. He told the young girl of some survival and combat techniques. Despite teaching it, he would like the girl to avoid danger and leave it up to him.

"Alright you Undead scum, get off your asses and get outside now!" one soldier relayed. All the prisoners listened and did so, exiting the ship and stepping onto the ground. The soldiers of Vale made all the prisoners march along the beach to somewhere unknown. The march was grueling for the prisoners. They had not eaten or drank anything for a day and they endlessly moved without a break. Those who fell of exhaustion were carried on by fellow prisoners in fear of angering the soldiers. The marching ended when they reached a large lake. The prisoners questioned why they were there.

Ruby and Tukson observed the area. Across the lake, they could see castle ruins. The area was dark, the only being the torches and lanterns the soldiers carried. The sky was dark grey and dark colored birds flew overhead. The prisoners and soldiers waited. "What are we waiting for?" Ruby whispered.

"No clue." Tukson whispered back.

All the prisoners talked amongst themselves, wondering what would happen to them. One Vale soldier was growing impatient, not informed of objective. "Hey man, what's up? Why are we waiting here?" the soldier asked his comrade. Ruby eavesdropped on the two nearby soldiers.

"The boss said it would happen soon." the other soldier said.

"It?"

"Yeah. A portal to banish all the cursed ones."

"Where does the portal lead."

"Don't know. Rumor has it that it leads to a completely different area that can only be accessed through the portal. It's stupid. I'm just happy we have a way to rid ourselves of the Undead."

Ruby gulped. _'What? What portal?'_ She looked around for any signs of a portal. "Tukson, did you hear what they said?" she asked.

"Yeah. I did. I don't like it at all." Tukson answered.

After a few more minutes, the portal made itself known. The lake started moving. At first, it moved slowly. In a matter of a few seconds, the water was moving in a circular direction at a fast pace. A huge whirlpool had formed in the lake, the hole the whirlpool formed appearing to only lead into darkness. Then, there was yelling. Both the prisoners and soldier started yelling at each other. The soldiers formed a wall of shields around the large group of prisoners. With shields raised firmly, the soldiers stepped towards the prisoners.

"They're going to push us down the whirlpool!" Tukson warned. When all the prisoners heard his warning, they began to resist. The prisoners threw themselves against the soldiers' shields with great force, hoping to bust through. The soldiers were trained for any resistance though. With each passing second, the prisoners were being pushed back towards the whirlpool. Despite their numbers, the prisoners were slowly losing. Now, they were at the edge of the beach. The second someone falls in the water, they are going to be swept away and down the whirlpool. Initially, the prisoners were being swept away one at a time. The soldiers pushed the prisoners even further back. Now, groups were being swept away. Both Ruby and Tukson were on the border between solid ground and the water. "Ruby, hold my hand!"

Ruby latched her hand onto Tukson. The second after, the water pulled them. The two were riding the whirlpool's circular motion. Ruby watched all around her the prisoners screaming in fear and begging for help. There would be no escape though. Nothing would be able to pull them out. She looked above, watching more and more prisoners also fall into the whirlpool. The event was starting to become dizzy for her. Ruby felt anger growing towards the Vale soldiers. _'How...how could they do this to us?! Is there no better solution?! Why?! Don't you feel any guilt at all?! We are humans too?!_

"Ruby, you're slipping!" Tukson warned. Ruby pushed away her thoughts of anger and looked to Tukson. She saw that she was losing her grip on Tukson's hand. "Just hold on Ruby! Hold on!" Ruby tried with all her strength to try and keep her hold. The lack of food water for a day though left Ruby's energy at a dangerously low level. Then, she lost Tukson's hand. "RUBY!" Tukson yelled out. Ruby entered the complete darkness of the whirlpool, unable to differentiate Tukson's yelling from everyone else's. Ruby could no longer see anything other than darkness. The only thing she could hear was the sound of rapid moving water and the yells of her fellow prisoners.

Ruby closed her eyes and held on to the little hope she had that was surrounded by fear. She did not know if she would live or what to expect. She feared the dark. She feared everything new to her. The girl was scared and no one was there to support her. Just only her small hope to hold onto. That was all she had left. _'What is this?'_ she questioned. The whirlpool felt endless to Ruby. She closed her eyes tight and let herself pass out, hoping that after all of this, she would wake up from this hell.

**A/N: So there you go, the beginning of a dark journey. Tell me what you think so far. I'll try to make the next chapters longer if I can. So once again, I'll try to update this story whenever possible. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Things Betwixt/Majula**

Ruby slowly opened her eyes, her body aching. She pushed herself off the ground and into a crouch position, being careful with her movement to not add on to the existing pain that resided in her body. As she pushed herself up, she noticed something was off. She looked at her bare hands and realized it looked slightly decomposed, dehydrated, and her veins were prominent. She felt her hand with the other. It felt so dry. Ruby started to breathe hard as she touched her own face. It also felt very dry. _'What happened to me? What happened to the whirlpool? Where is everyone else?'_ Ruby questioned, panic settling in again to this unknown event.

Ruby stood up and looked at her surroundings. She found herself standing in the middle of a stone gazebo surrounded by grass. The stone was greatly eroded and moss covered a lot of it. She looked above and saw that there was no sky. Just a roof of rock hanging extremely high above her. Ahead of her though, she could see a large crack of light shining through. It looked a distance away, but it was Ruby's only sense of direction. Ruby proceeded to walk towards the light. Only walking a few meters away from the gazebo, she was now walking in grass that were high enough to reach Ruby's thigh. When she was in the middle of the grassy field, something moved in the grass that wasn't Ruby. She stood still, heart beating fast. Whatever was in the grass moved again. Then the grass began rustling more. Whatever was in the grass wasn't alone. Ruby figured that lingering in the area would only cause trouble so she ran towards the light despite her aching body. When she cleared the area, she found herself at an old looking wooden bridge. However, on the other side of the bridge was a hut that had light emitting from the inside. Ruby didn't care if the bridge was stable or not as she walked across it. She just wanted to get inside the hut as it looked warm, comforting, and looked like a safe place. She had made it across. She walked up the steps that led to the door. She gripped the handle of the door and slowly pushed the door open. "Hello?"

"Come in." A woman answered. Ruby entered and closed the door behind her and found herself in the presence of four females. Three of were very elderly and one looked like a young adult. "Heh heh heh...What seems to be the ruckus?" one of the elderly women asked.

"Ooh, my! Your face." the second one said. "The face of the cursed."

"It's an Undead." the third said. "An Undead has come to play. Heh heh...They all end up coming here. All the ones like you. You're finished."

"You'll go hollow. Yes, you will become like one of them." the second one continued.

"Hollows prey upon men, feast upon their souls." the first one spoke again. This is the fate of the cursed. Heh heh heh...What is your name?"

Ruby was a little disheartened by what the old ladies had just said. "M...my name is Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"You're the youngest Undead that has come across us. Not to mention that you're the first Undead to come by in five years. You are a fool to come here though. Well, at least you know your own name. Here's your reward for sharing. My name is Strowen by the way." the woman pulled out a small warm, soft, shadow-like effigy.

Ruby took the item in her hand. "What is this?" Ruby asked, rolling the item in her hand.

"It's a Human Effigy. Use this item to reverse Hollowing. It also weakens the links to other worlds, invasions and most cooperation. Peer closely at the effigy, and one begins to perceive a human form, but whose form it takes depends on the person looking. Take a closer look. Who do you think it's supposed to be? Think back, deep into your past. Yes, it's an effigy of you." Strowen answered.

"Wait, other worlds? What are you talking abou-"

"Use the effigy dear. Smash it against where your heart belongs." Strowen interrupted. Ruby looked hesitant, but there wasn't any other options. Ruby heeded Storwen's words and smashed the effigy against the left side of her chest. The item turned into glowing white dust that entered her body. She felt a breath of fresh air. Ruby watched in amazement as she saw her skin restore itself back to her human appearance. Now, Ruby looked as if nothing ever happened. "All people come here for the same reason: to break the curse. You're no different, I should think? Hmm...doesn't stand a chance. Well, you never know! Go through the door and trot along to the kingdom. But remember, hold on to your souls. They're all that keep you from going Hollow. Oh, I'll fool you no longer…You'll lose your souls…All of them. Over and over again."

"There's a cure for this? You mean, I can be normal again?" Ruby asked with deep interest.

"Who knows if there is a cure? Every Undead before you failed to keep their sanity long enough to find out. Now go along." Strowen pointed towards another door opposite of the one Ruby entered through.

Ruby exited through the door and continued towards the crack of light. After walking over an archway and through a very dark cave, she emerged from the interior of the mountain. Walking a few steps forward, she found herself standing on a cliff side, towering above an ocean. Ruby looked left and saw a coastal town not too far away. Thinking that people would be there, she stepped away from the cliff and followed a stone path that was leading towards the town. When she entered the vicinity of the town, she found that it was desolate. Ruby found herself extremely disappointed. She spotted a bonfire by the nearby cliff though. She walked up to it, sitting down beside it and relishing in the warmth and comfort it provided.

That feeling was then replaced with extreme joy when she looked beyond the bonfire, spotting a hooded figure standing by a dead tree that was further towards the side of the cliff. The figure wore a green cloak that was flowing freely in the small wind. Underneath the cloak, the figure wore faded green robes with a bunch of intricate details, a red cloth wrapped around the waist, a pair of brown gloves, white boots, and white stockings. _'Maybe this person will be more friendly than those old ladies.' _Ruby moved towards the cloaked figure, stopping a three meters behind the figure. "Excuse me? Where am I?" Ruby asked the figure. There was no response. Ruby patiently waited a few seconds before asking again. "Um, hello?"

Ruby could hear the figure sigh. With the figure's back facing Ruby, the figure answered. "Leave this town traveler. There is nothing here for you to take or gain. Only lost and despair." The figure had a feminine voice. "I have been waiting here for those that are called Undead, humans branded with the Darksign. I've been waiting here for the past twelve years of my life, and I'm seventeen years old. There were many before me who had the task that I bear now, to wait for the Undead and guide them on their path. Now...now there hasn't been any Undead visiting here for the past five years. Yet here I stand, waiting, as I have been told to do. Once again, leave this place traveler. There is nothing for you here."

"Um...I have the Darksign. It's this mark on my back right?" Ruby asked.

"Don't play games with me traveler." the cloaked figure responded.

"No really, I have the Darksign. There were these old ladies who told me I was an Undead and that there were many before me. They said I would suffer the same fate as all of them. I could show you the mark if you want." Ruby offered.

The figure turned around and removed her hood. Ruby's silver eyes were widened with surprise. She didn't expect the cloaked figure to be so beautiful. Standing in front of Ruby was a girl with a pale complexion. Her hair was half brown and half pink with white streaks in the pink half. To go along with the hair, the girl had two different colored eyes, one pink and one brown. "Y...you're not lying? A...are you truly Undead?" The multi-colored girl watched Ruby with incredible interest.

"That's what I've been banished from my kingdom for so yeah." Ruby answered.

The multi-colored girl ran up to Ruby and consumed her in a hug. "Oh thank gods! Thank you so much!"

"Uhh...you're welcome?" Ruby replied, confused.

The girl released her hug on Ruby but still held Ruby's arms in her hands. "Don't you understand? Maybe you are the one! Maybe you'll be the one to find the cure! Maybe you're the next monarch!" The girl's face had a huge smile, her hope renewed.

"Wait, you know how to get the cure? Are you Undead too?" Ruby inquired.

"I'm am not Undead. My task is to help any Undead that come across this land though. I don't know exactly how to acquire a cure. People have said that there is no cure. I don't know if that it is true or not, but if there really is a cure, I can definitely point you in the right direction. And that direction is becoming the monarch." the girl answered. "However, it won't be easy. This kingdom has been long overrun with hollows, demons, and spirits. Danger is everywhere in this kingdom except here. This town, called Majula, is the safest place you can be.

Ruby's hope was also renewed. She had a chance become human again. Even though a cure wasn't confirmed and danger loomed, it was still a chance. What Ruby didn't understand was the monarch part. Still, Ruby took the girl in a hug, grateful. "Thank you so much! I don't care if I have to go through danger. I'm willing to find this possible cure."

The girl hugged back for a second before the two broke the hug. "Well if you're really sure about this, then we better get acquainted and get you you some gear. My name is Neo. I was also called the Emerald Herald back when there used to be a lot of Undead passing through here. You can call me either of the two. What's your name?"

"Ruby Rose." she simply answered.

"Walk with me Ruby." Neo said. The two began walking towards the buildings of the coastal town. How old are you?"

"Fifteen." Ruby answered.

"That's pretty young for an adventure like this. Are you sure you want to do this? There is no doubt you will have to kill. I don't want to put you through that." Neo asked.

"If I don't, who else? Besides, the hollows aren't really living anymore right? And the demons just want to kill?" Ruby questioned.

"That is true but it's not only them you're going to encounter. There are still many Undead in Drangleic. Most of them have given up on finding the cure and just are trying to stay alive and keeping their sanity intact. There are some Undead who will kill you for your souls and humanity. A few even do it just for fun. You will encounter them. When you do, one of you have to die. When an Undead dies, they will be revived at the last bonfire they rested at by the Darksign. Don't take your revival for granted though. The more an Undead dies and loses their souls, they lose their humanity and sanity even faster than just waiting it out." Neo informed Ruby.

"I...I have to kill other Undead?" Ruby asked, stress starting to build up.

"I wouldn't blame you if you wish to back out." Neo said.

The two stopped walking, Ruby thinking really hard about the situation. She had never killed before and it's something she would wish to avoid. But she didn't want to just sit around and wait to become hollow. She wanted to take action. "I'll still take on this quest. I don't want to kill anyone, but I won't become hollow. I will find this cure. Not just for me, but for every other Undead. It's just that I don't know how to fight. I have a bit of an understanding but I need training."

"Ok then. There is someone who can teach you. He's also an Undead, but he has given up and returned here to wait it out. I'm sure we can convince him. Before we do though, let's get you familiarized with the area. Any questions before I give you a tour of Majula?" Neo asked.

"What's with the giant hole in the middle of the town?" Ruby asked, pointed at the large hole that was surrounded by the town's buildings.

"That? It's a very deep hole that seems endless. It used to be a place where the inhabitants of this town could just throw their trash down. It still is today by the few who remain here, but sadly, we throw out hollows down there. There is an underground tomb somewhere down the hole. There is something down there other than corpses. No one has dared to go down the hole and find what else is down there. Do have another question?"

"Well that one old lady said something to me about other worlds, involving invasion and cooperation? Can you tell me about that?" Ruby asked.

"Of course. I haven't experienced it myself but many Undead have told me their own fair share of invasions and cooperation. This may or may not make sense to you, but either way, it's a fact. There are indeed other worlds just like this one. In one world, someone might be in your place right now. In another world, I could be dead, killed by an Undead. Or, in another world, you and I don't meet and never will. It's confusing how it can work, but one thing I do understand though is that people from other worlds can enter our world, but not forever. After a time, whether they succeed in their goal or not, they will be removed from the world and sent back to their own." Neo explained.

"Well then, I'm glad I'm in the world where I meet you." Ruby hinting at her compliment.

Neo smiled. "I'm glad to meet you too. Anyways, invasions are when people enter your world from their own without your consent. They appear as red, grey, or blue phantoms, referred to as invaders. When invaders enter your area, they only have one goal: to kill you. They do this because it is a way for them to earn souls, humanity, or complete a bounty given to them by factions of their world. If you see a red phantom Ruby, don't hesitate to fight. Grey phantoms appear in areas you may be trespassing. You don't have to worry about blue phantoms as they only invade those who have committed sin. Unless you commit sin, you shouldn't expect them at all."

"I can't believe people would do that to each other." Ruby expressed.

"It's sad, I know. I even heard that there is a faction just specifically for invading. It's not all bad though. There are phantoms you can summon into your world who will help you in the area. They can either appear as a white or yellow phantom. These phantoms can help you carry your burden for the area or for a specific time. The best thing is, I heard that they can't hurt you although I'm sure most of these kind of phantoms have the best of intentions. I even heard there is a faction that is specific to helping others." Neo continued explaining.

"That's good to hear. I'm glad there are people who are happy to assist others through tough times. Alright so next question, what do I have to worry about concerning Human Effigies and my humanity in general?" Ruby felt herself in complete fascination from listening to Neo's answers.

Neo pulled her hood back over her head. "Well, Human Effigies are really important to keep on your person. As far as I know, there isn't that many out there. It is also the only known way so far to restore your human appearance. Treasure every one you find. There are many Undead out there who would gladly rip it out of your grasp. Be sure to use it only when necessary. The second you die, you lose your humanity and start progressing towards a hollowed state. I've heard rumors of a ring that will protect your humanity when you die. When you revive, you don't have to use a Human Effigy but the ring breaks. You can have it repaired, but at the cost of souls. Right now, souls is the only currency. Everything you kill will grant you souls. The greater the enemy, the more souls you earn."

"Ok. I think that is all for now. I'll probably have more questions later." Ruby said.

"That's fine. Don't hesitate to ask me anything. Now then, on with the tour. To the left side of the town, that building is the armory. Maughlin manages the store. He can set you up with weapons and armor. In front of us and past the hole is the mansion. The landlord is currently residing inside, working hard making new inventions. He is very nice. When those who come by here have no place to rest, the landlord invites them inside and provides dinner and a place to sleep. Maybe you can meet him later. To the right of the mansion is the supply building. We keep all of our supplies in there. To the right side of the town is the blacksmith's building. Blacksmith Lenigrast can repair your weapons and armor or even improve them if you offer him souls and the materials. Now come on. Let's give Maughlin a visit and get you geared up." Neo gestured Ruby to follow her. Ruby complied and the two walked into the armory building.

A man with dark skin and dressed in golden colored robes sat on the stone floor of the building. "Why, hello there! It's been long since we've had the company of a new Undead. Welcome! I'm Maughlin. I sell weapons and armor should you ever need them."

"Thank you. My name is Ruby." Ruby greeted back.

"Hey Maughlin. Listen, do you think you can spare some gear and weapons? Ruby needs to learn how to fight if she wants to accomplish the goal of becoming the next monarch and finding the cure.

"Of course! No problem! How strong would you say you are Ruby?" Maughlin asked.

"Well, I'm not too sure but I think I would like to be very maneuverable and do some quick damage." Ruby suggested.

Maughlin held his chin in his hand. He hummed as he thought. He snapped his fingers. "I got it! Wait right here, I need to grab your gear in the back." He proceeded to enter the back room of the building. Both Ruby and Neo waited, Neo observing the new arrival.

"So Ruby, when we get the other Undead to help you, you'll be training in the field between the buildings and the bonfire. After that, I'll point you in the right direction." Neo told her.

"I don't mean to sound needy and all, but can't you accompany me? Don't you know how to fight?" Ruby asked, not wanting to adventure alone.

"As much as I hate letting you go on your own, I can't go. I can fight but I will stand no chance against what is out there since I'm not Undead. I'm so sorry Ruby." Neo apologized.

"No, no! It's absolutely fine! Besides, I understand. Since you are not Undead, you'll be dead permanently the second you die. I can die but be revived. Don't worry." Ruby assured.

"Well actually, you don't have to go through all of this alone. There are still friendly Undead out there. You could convince them to help you should you come across them." Neo gasped. "I have an idea! If you find friendly Undead, you can convince them to come here in Majula. We can get this place running again and make it a safe haven for Undead once again! Then, you can unite them all and make them follow you against your enemies like a true monarch!"

"Sounds like a noble cause. Sure! Why not?" Ruby commented.

Ruby's comment brought a smile to Neo's face and gave her even more hope. "We really need to get you trained. Maybe you truly will be the savior of the Undead."

Maughlin entered the room, arms full of gear. "I got the perfect gear for you Ruby. Check this out." He set down the gear next to a table. He grabbed something out of the pile and placed it prominently on the table for both Ruby and Neo to observe. It was a black long sleeve blouse and a skirt with red trimmings. It had a metal chest plate protecting the front. Although the right arm was unguarded, the left arm had metal platings covering the bicep and the forearm. Maughlin also placed a pair of black leather gloves on top of the armor. Next, Maughlin set a pair of black leggings beside the armor. Then, he placed black boots with metal greaves on the table too. "Go on and give it a try! You can step into the other room to change."

Ruby gathered the attire and spent a few minutes putting on her new armor. When she stepped out, both Maughlin and Neo nodded in approval. "Looks really nice Ruby. It's like your armor was made just for you." Neo complimented.

Ruby couldn't help but blush a little. _'Why am I blushing?'_ she asked herself in her head but quickly dismissed it. "Thank you Neo."

"Wait, your outfit is not complete. Here." Maughlin handed Ruby a cloak. It was just like Neo's, but red. Ruby hooked it onto her clothing and wore the hood over her head. "Wow. This set really does match you." Maughlin commented. "Your cloak should have a black extension of cloth that you use to cover most of your face, exposing your eyes only." he noted.

Ruby found the extension within her cloak, moving it to cover most of her face. Now, only her silver eyes shined from underneath the hood. "This is really nice Maughlin. Thank you so much."

"You're quite welcome. Now, you need weapons. You said you wanted to do quick damage so here." Maughlin presented Ruby with a parrying dagger and a bow along with multiple steel arrows. Ruby sheathed the dagger to her left side, the bow behind her back and underneath the cloak, and the quiver of arrows on the backside of her waist.

_'This is good and all but are these weapons strong enough against demons?"_ Ruby observed. The weapons were quick and could be deadly, but it wouldn't be too bad to have something else to rely on. Just as fate would have it, Ruby spotted a steel scythe in the corner of the building. She walked over to it and gripped it. She lifted it and it seemed very light. It also had components on it that made it look like the scythe was collapsible for easy travel. "Can I also take this?"

Maughlin looked a bit confused. "Uhh...sure. You do know it's not the most practical weapon to use though. You realize that right?"

"Yeah but I've been using scythes when I helped my mother farm. I'm sure I could make this useful." Ruby answered.

"If you think it'll help you keep yourself alive, then take it by all means." Maughlin responded.

"Thank you Maughlin. We'll repay you sometime later. Come on Ruby. Let's get your training started." Neo said. The two girls shook the armorer's hand before walking out the building. "Your trainer should be sitting up on that statue." Neo pointed to a nearby small hill with a statue on top of it. The two walked up the hill and up the stone steps to the statue. Sitting next to the statue was a man in steel armor, looking like he was in utter disappointment.

"Hey Saulden, you feeling better?" Neo asked, great gentleness in her voice.

"Ah, the Emerald Herald graces me with her presence. Is there something you need?" Saulden asked.

"Yes actually. We finally have a new Undead visiting us. She wishes to take on the very same quest you took on before. She needs training in combat though and you're the only Undead here who had faced the challenges here in Drangleic. Can you help her?" Neo asked.

"What's the point? There's a reason why I've given up on said quest. I've seen so many of my fellow Undead slowly lose their minds. When they did, I was forced to kill them. Although they were no longer themselves, it still did not bring any comfort. Why should I help another Undead who will just end up becoming hollow." Saulden gloomily replied.

"Please Saulden, this is another chance to find a cure for your Darksign. Don't you want that? Let Ruby continue where you left off. Please, give her that chance." Neo begged.

"Ruby huh? That's the name of our new arrival? Let me speak with her. Then, I'll decide if I'll train her or not." Saulden spoke. Neo gestured Ruby to come forward. "So tell me Ruby, what do you hope to accomplish?" Saulden asked.

"Well, I want to find the cure. Not just for me but every other Undead I can assist. I need training through if I want to accomplish such a task. Please, I really want to cure as many people I can. I entered this place with many other Undead. I don't know where they all went but they could certainly use the cure if I can find them again." Ruby honestly answered.

Saulden observed the girl, examining the truth in her words. "You sound very serious about this. But you are too young to endure the challenges that reside here in Drangleic. Sorry, but I won't be responsible for the death of a young girl. At least, not anymore that is."

"No, please! Please, you have to train me. Listen, I don't know what you've been through, but let me make sure whatever happened wasn't all for nothing. There is no one else here other than me right now who wants to do this. Please." Ruby's words were sincere.

Saulden sighed. "You really want this huh? Fine. Be ready for hard work though. If I'm going to train you, I'm going to prepare you as best as I can." Saulden stood up. "Wait for me in the field. I'll join you in a few minutes."

"Thank you." Ruby said with relief as she made her departure from the statue alongside Neo.

"I wish you the best of luck Ruby. I'll be sitting by the bonfire, watching your progress. Whenever you are ready to venture out of Majula, come visit me so that I can guide you and provide you an important gift. Alright?" Neo said. Ruby nodded in response. The two split from each other, Neo going to the bonfire and Ruby to the middle of the field. Ruby prepared herself for her upcoming training, a training that would leave the girl's muscles aching for a few days.

**A/N: Ruby's outfit is basically the same as the show, but with a more medieval look to it and additional pieces such as the gloves, mask, metal platings, etc. A bit of a warning, this story won't entirely follow how things are in Dark Souls 2 for story reasons. (As evident by our Emerald Herald being much more friendly than the one in the game) Just PM me if you have any questions.**

**Also, just a small thanks for the follows. It may not be as much as other stories I've seen but I treasure each one. Please leave a review if you can. I would really love to see what people think of this story so far. Plus, it really helps not just me, but other writers as it can help give us incentive to write our stories.(Not that I'm giving up on any of mine though. I will never abandon my stories) Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Forest of Fallen Giants**

It took Ruby a week of training with Saulden to have exceptional combat skills. Each training session was long, grueling, tiring, and punishing. Ruby prevailed though, getting the hang of her bow, her dagger, and her Scythe. Saulden initially questioned the Scythe as a viable weapon, but seeing the amazing tricks Ruby performed with it removed Saulden's doubt. It was like the girl was born to wield a scythe all her life. The dagger wasn't as easy for Ruby though. It's short blade and light weight made it the perfect weapon for fast and speedy attacks. The only problem it posed was that it was too short for the girl as she wished to distance herself from enemies as much as possible. She eventually got the hang of it, even managing to parry some of Saulden's attacks, leaving him open to counterattacks. The only problem the bow posed for the young girl was getting the angles right. With taking wind into account, the girl struggled in aiming for quite a bit.

Now though, the girl was ready to face the dangers that lurked across Drangelic. Ruby was appreciative of Saulden's assistance. "Thank you very much Saulden. I owe you a lot."

Saulden gave a weak smile. "Tell you want. You only owe me one thing. I want you to not go hollow. If you go hollow, then that means I have failed as an instructor once again. So please, exercise caution."

"I will do my best. Thanks once again." Ruby waved goodbye and walked towards the bonfire where the Emerald Herald sat.

"Wait, Ruby." Saulden stopped the girl. "I have one advice. Don't hesitate to kill. If you do, you're dead. Got it?" Ruby nodded. "Ok. Good luck."

Ruby waves goodbye again and headed for the bonfire. Neo sat on one the large rocks that surrounded the bonfire, staring out to the sky and the ocean. Ruby took a seat next to Neo without a sound, accidentally startling the multi-colored girl. "I'm ready to venture out."

"Are you sure?" Neo asked. Ruby responded with a nod. "Very well. Here take these. It'll help you during your journey." Neo handed Ruby a bag of throwing knives, five Human Effigies, ten small crystals, five small pieces of green moss, and a small transparent flask with a golden liquid inside of it.

Ruby had no idea what the bottle, the moss, and the crystals were for so she asked. "What are these for?" Ruby inquired, pointing at the specific objects that confused her.

Neo looked at the items Ruby pointed out to her. "Those? Well the moss is to cure poison by consuming it if poison should ever infect your body. The crystals are lifegems. You crush them in your hand and they slowly recover a limited amount of your health should you take damage. The flask is called an Estus Flask. The golden liquid inside is Estus. It basically functions like lifegems, except you drink it and heals your wounds to a much greater extent. Estus Flasks are very important to every Undead that hold it in their possession. It's what makes an Undead's journey bearable. To replenish your Estus, you collect it from bonfires. Right now, your flask is only capable of holding two charges of Estus. Should you find flask shards on your journey, return them to me so I can improve your flask and give it more charges."

"Oh, ok." Ruby stored the items in some of the pouches that wrapped around her waist. "I guess I'm good to go."

Neo gently hugged Ruby. "I wish you the best of luck Ruby. I hope to see you again so please take care of yourself out there alright? I have grown to care for many Undead who I have come across. All of them never returned. Please don't be one of them."

Ruby gladly returned the hug. "I will for you. Thank you so much for your assistance. I'll be sure your kindness isn't wasted."

The two broke their hug, both girls wore a sad smile. Neo pointed Ruby in the direction she needed to go. Ruby thanked Neo again and she soon began her journey, pulling up her mask and walking towards her given direction.

...

_Thirty Minutes Later_

Ruby carefully walked across the unstable looking bridge in a dark cave. She heard the sound of a river below her, way below. She took another step on the bridge's wooden planks. The bridge shakes a little and Ruby completely stops in her tracks. She sees that she is almost across the bridge so she takes a deep breath and runs the remaining portion of the bridge. Ruby sighed a sigh of relief when she felt her feet on solid ground once again. She carefully tread the dark cave again until she emerged from the darkness and light hits her face again.

Letting her eyes adjust to the brightness, Ruby rubs her eyes and stands there for a couple of seconds. When her vision is completely focused, she scans her environment. She found herself in a forest full of tall trees. She moved forward a little and looked to her right, spotting a river and the area across the river. Ruby continued to walk deeper into the forest, taking in the scenery. When she hears a grunt from something, Ruby stops in her tracks once again.

A man wearing rusted armor emerged from behind a tree that was in front of Ruby. He walked slowly, head looking down to the ground. Ruby couldn't see the man's face. "Umm...excuse me? Are you alright?" Ruby asks. The man stops walking but is still looking towards the ground. "Do you need help? Are you a soldier of this kingdom?" Ruby continued. The man quickly looks up and turns his head towards Ruby, revealing a hollowed face. The Hollow growled, pulled out a broken sword, and charged towards Ruby.

Ruby gasped. She unsheathed her collapsible scythe and made it shape into its full glory. The Hollow swiped for Ruby's head. She easily ducked underneath and moved directly behind the hollow. _'Don't hesitate to kill.'_ Saulden's words rang in her head. _'I'm gonna hate this.'_ Ruby thought. She lifted her Scythe and brought it down on the Hollow's back. The blade impaled deep and the wound spurted out some blood. Immediately, the Hollow fell dead and Ruby fell on her knees and removed her mask to throw up. The stench and blood of the Hollow did not help Ruby's case at all.

Ruby was disgusted by her action. _'Oh gods. I...I have to do that to every enemy I encounter?'_ Ruby proceeded to throw up some more. _'Remember that you brought this upon yourself Ruby. You accepted the quest so you have to deal with the consequences.'_

_'Yeah, but I didn't know what it was like to kill at the time. Now...now I don't want to.'_

_'So you're going to back out on what you said you would accomplish? Coward.'_

_'No...I...I-'_

_'You're going to disappoint the people who worked and taught you to prepare for this? You're going to disappoint Neo?'_

Ruby wasn't sure why her subconscious specifically used Neo as an example. Regardless, it worked. Ruby made sure she wasn't going to throw up anymore before pulling her Scythe out of the dead hollow. She pulled her mask back up to her face. She then heard more growls. She looked back to where the first Hollow emerged from and spotted two more Hollow. Ruby now pulled out her dagger, wielding it in her left hand and the scythe in her right. Gulping, she slowly approaches the Hollows.

As she gets closer and closer, she picks up her pace. When she is near her enemies, she slides past them, hooking one Hollow's leg with the blade of her scythe. The Hollow face plants on the ground. Before Ruby could end it, the other Hollow swipes at her frantically. Ruby avoids the slashes easily by back stepping. However, an arrow hits a metal plating that was protecting Ruby's left arm. Luckily, the arrow only pierced the armor and not into her flesh. Ruby looked to the left, spotting third Hollow with a bow in the distance, standing on a knocked over tree trunk that provided a bridge across the river.

In her distraction, one of Ruby's Hollow attackers grabs her by the neck. Ruby held off the Hollow with her right arm as the Hollow tries to bite her flesh. With slight hesitation, Ruby shoves her dagger into the Hollow's head. The Hollow drops dead when Ruby pulls her dagger out of its head. By that time, the first Hollow that face planted finally recovered. Ruby moved to confront it but remembered the threat of the third Hollow. She turns just in time to see the third release an arrow towards her.

She ducks underneath it and the arrow flies clean above her. The arrow finds its mark in the chest of the other Hollow. Although shot, the Hollow still stands, only staggered. Ruby takes the opportunity to do a spiral attack with her scythe, cutting through a large chunk of the Hollow's chest.

Another arrow lands in on the ground beside Ruby. She drops her weapons and grabs her bow that was hanging off her shoulder. She could see the third Hollow already nocking its arrow on its bow. Ruby hurries to grab an arrow from her quiver. She firmly grabs one and rushes to nock it on her bow. Once she did, she raised her bow and drew both the arrow and string back. She angled it just as the Hollow does so. They both release their arrows.

Ruby's arrow pierces the Hollow's neck while the Hollow's arrow misses Ruby's head just by an inch. Ruby was breathless and frightened, realizing just how close she was to dying right there. She scanned her area, observing if there were any more Hollows in the area. When she confirmed there was no longer any danger for now, she relieved herself of some tension. She slung her bow over her shoulder and picked up her dagger and scythe from off the ground. She sheathed the dagger but kept the scythe in hand.

Ruby continues on forward, slowly becoming paranoid of anyone she encounters outside of Majula. She crossed the knocked over log and retrieved her arrow from the third Hollow. As a bonus, she found an additional lifegem on the Hollow. She progressed forward into another dark, but short cave. Inside the cave, there was a wooden ladder that led to higher ground. Seeing as there was no other way to go, she climbed it. The creaking of the ladder made her feel unsafe, like it could snap from underneath her and make her fall to her death. It didn't though and Ruby emerged at the top.

Standing in a field of eroded stone and growing moss in a large rotunda, Ruby spotted a man sitting next to a gigantic tree that was somewhat in the center of the rotunda. He wore a dirty white cloak, a cylinder-shaped helmet, a chainmail vest, spiked pauldrons, and spiked gauntlets and greaves. Ruby observed the man's armor and realized that the metal was unlike anything she was seen before. It fairly looked like steel, but there was something within the metal that made it obvious that it was not steel. It had a silvery color, but also some black-colored material infused in it. The man looked at Ruby for a few seconds before standing up, unsheathing a longsword that emitted small sparks of lightning from it.

Ruby could hear the man heavily breathe. "Are you another Undead who's come here to kill me?" The man was a little muffled due to his helmet.

Ruby kept her weapon on stand-by, still not sure of the man's intentions. "No. Are you an Undead who wants to kill me?"

The man lowered his sword in confusion. "You're not here to kill me?"

"I just want to find a cure for the curse. That's it." Ruby was still cautious of the knight, not taking any risk.

The man sheathed his sword. "I have no quarrel with you then. Go ahead and move on." He sat back down and pointed towards an open hole in the rotunda's walls.

Ruby carefully moved towards it, eyes always keeping sight of the man. "What about you? Why are you waiting here?"

"That's my business, not yours. You have your own business to attend to yourself. I suggest you get to it. Who knows, maybe our vices will cross paths and we will meet once again. But for now, we both are alone on our journeys. It's best that way." the man responded.

Ruby continued on watching the man, still suspicious. It wasn't until she entered the hold in the wall to get her eyes to focus elsewhere. She was now indoors and there were two paths that she could take. One was another hole in the wall that led into what appeared to be a dining room that was fairly lit. The other led into a dark, small hallway. Obviously, Ruby chose the dining room as it had some light and it at least had room for her to maneuver her scythe in. The second she hopped into the room, a bunch of Hollows made their positions known. _'Oh crap...'_

...

_Three Minutes Later_

Ruby sliced the head off of one Hollow with her scythe and parried the other one with her dagger. She performed another spiral attack, impaling the blade into the parried Hollow's side. Another Hollow assaulted her with a longsword. This one had a different appearance from all the other Hollows that Ruby encountered. Ruby tried to dodge, but the Hollow got a good cut on Ruby's arm. She cried out in pain and counterattacked by repetitively stabbing the hollow in the abdomen with her dagger. The new Hollow would not falter however. The Hollow grabbed Ruby by the back of the neck and tossed her onto a table.

Ruby rushed to get off the table and tries to parry the Hollow's next attack. She manages to, but the Hollow's blade catches Ruby's wrist. Tired of the Hollow, she moves around it, kicks it onto the floor, and impales it in the back with her scythe.

When the skirmish was over, Ruby sat herself in the corner of the room, silently crying. Her wounds were too overbearing. She weeped as she examined her two cuts. For her, killing made her uneasy and sick, but almost being killed herself was something she didn't want to face again. Her fear was starting to take over again and she was beginning to lose hope. She thought how it would be impossible to make it through this journey without going insane. That if she couldn't handle some Hollows, what chance would she have against demons?

The demons, the Hollows, the Undead, the pain, the lost. How would she persist through it all?

_'I...I don't want to do this anymore. Please...please no more. I don't want to.'_ With each passing second, the cuts began to sting with intense pain. Blood seeped out at an alarming rate. She hissed in discomfort when she touched her wounds with her hands. More tears flowed from Ruby's eyes as the girl hopelessly cried.

She remembered the lifegems and the Estus Flask however. Slowly moving in pain, she reached for her Estus Flask in her pouch. Once she grabbed a hold of it, she carefully examined it. She didn't know what it would do to her or how it could actually heal her, but she wasn't left with much of a choice. She brought it up to her lips and drank down one charge of Estus. The liquid was warm and had a funny taste to it. In a matter of seconds, all the pain was gone and her wounds were sealed. "Wha..." Ruby sounded in confusion as she examined where her injuries were. She wiped the blood and saw that there was no cut to be found. Her injuries ceased to exist. She then examined the Estus Flask with great wonder. _'Whatever this is, Neo certainly wasn't lying.'_

Ruby felt rejuvenated. She stood back up, holding a newfound determination due to knowing the extent of what Estus can do. She proceeded onwards through the building, eventually emerging out to a courtyard. With only one Hollow in her way, she handled the poor soul with ease. Ruby simply sniped the Hollow in the head with an arrow. She approached the Hollow and apologized to its dead corpse before retrieving her arrow.

She climbed the ladder the Hollow was guarding, walked forward a bit, and found a large iron door that granted entrance into an extremely large building. She opened the door and walked through. What she did not expect to find was a bonfire.

Ruby ran to it and melted into the warmth's comfort. She set down her scythe next to the bonfire. She took her flask and held it near the bonfire. She could see some of the bonfire's flames seep into the bottle, restoring the one charge that was used. Ruby held the bottle close to her face and watched the golden liquid with deep interest. _'How could such a thing be so powerful?'_ Ruby thought.

"Someone holds their Estus dearly doesn't she?" someone said. Ruby grabbed her scythe and stood up, taking on a defensive stance. "Relax dearie. I'm only a humble merchant, I do not wish to harm a potential customer." the stranger replied. Ruby couldn't believe that she didn't notice the old lady that was also sitting next to the bonfire.

"W...who are you?" Ruby asked.

"I am Melentia. I sell supplies that could prove useful to Undead." Melentia answered, pointing to the large stash of supplies she carried on her back.

Ruby observed the large stash, surprised that the old lady's build can carry such a huge amount. "Wait, how are you able to carry all of that? Never mind. What do you sell?"

Melentia chuckled. "My, my, someone likes to ask a lot of questions? I sell common supplies and weapons to the Undead who's willing to offer a generous amount of souls. I have lifegems, throwing knives, broadswords, moss, firebombs, and so on. They may be common, but they are definitely more useful that what you'll find in this forsaken kingdom. So what do you say? Want to buy something?"

Ruby gave Melentia an apologetic look. "Sorry, but I don't need anything right now other than what I have on me. You're an Undead yourself right?"

"I guess you can tell by my rotting skin." Melentia weakly laughed at her own grim joke.

"There's a coastal town called Majula that's not that far from here. It's pretty safe over there. I could give you directions." Ruby offered.

Melentia hugged herself. "That's sweet of you little girl. I need to make a profit though and gain souls if I don't want to go hollow. I can't go and expect for things to work out."

Ruby held her chin in thought and she hummed, thinking of a way to convince the merchant to move. Having more merchants at Majula would be very important to increase the amount of Undead there and boost its economy. "Ah." Ruby sounded when she thought of an idea. "I understand that you need souls to survive. Right now, I'm trying to get as many friendly Undead to Majula. If I succeed, they'll be a lot of potential customers for you waiting. Besides, it's not like this spot is any better to sell your items to Undead."

Melentia's interest was now peaked. "That's a fair point little girl. Alright, I'll go." Ruby shared with Melentia the path she took and told her how there shouldn't be any Hollows left to threaten her. "Thank you..."

"Ruby." She slightly bowed her head as she introduced herself..

Melentia returned the gesture back to Ruby. "Thank you Ruby. I'll make my departure very soon. Good luck with your adventure."

Ruby had one more question that she needed an answer to before she moved on. "Wait. Before I go, can you tell me about the area we are in and the Hollows that are lurking in the area?".

"Sure thing. We are in the building of a large military barracks. Below the floor we are on is a riverbed that used to be flowing with fresh, clean water back during the Kingdom's golden days. Now, it's just a dry area that giant, fiery salamanders occupy. The Hollows you see roaming the area were former soldiers of Drangleic. Despite being mindless, they still retain some of their combat skills from their time of sanity." Melentia places a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "There is an elevator that leads to the very bottom of the barracks. There is something down there. I can hear it moaning from time to time. It doesn't sound too pleasant at all. Just a warning."

"Thank you. I'll be sure to be cautious." Ruby continued on, climbing down a ladder that led deeper into the barracks. Once she was down the ladder, she observed the floor she was one. She was on a large balcony that was high above the dried riverbed. She looked to her left and her right. The right was a closed metal door. The left was a corridor that had a hole in the wall. Ruby looked down on the floor to spot many dead Hollow soldiers around her feet. She slowly moved forward, making sure each dead Hollow was actually dead.

She checked the metal door first. She gripped the handle and tried opening it by both pull and push. It was locked however and the door looked like it could not be broken down with her weapons. She proceeded to move to the left side and the corridor.

She then heard the clashing of metal sounding somewhere. She could hear faint voices speaking over each other. Ruby hurried up and searched for the source, running through the hole that was inside the wall of the left corridor. She was met with a fog wall on the opposite end of the dark room. She approached it. As she stood next to it, the source of sound was even more loud. The clashing of metal was even more prominent. It sounding like swords. There was a battle occurring on the other side.

Ruby backed up from the fog a little. She readied herself, hopping on her feet just a little to try and drive off her nervousness. She took a couple of deep breaths, eyes never leaving the fog wall. Ruby charged through it. Emerging on the other side, Ruby only caught a glimpse of castle battlements for a second.

"Incoming!" a voice yelled out..

Afterwards, a black orb flies past Ruby's head and lands next to some black barrels that were on the same platform as her. The second she saw a spark emit from the orb, she knew what came next. Ruby lunged to get out of the explosion radius.

The bomb explodes, completely demolishing the area Ruby once stood. Although she steered clear of the fiery explosion, the force still launched her. The force sent her crashing onto the stone floor, causing her to bounce a little before finally coming to a halt. However, the halt led Ruby to hit the back of her head against a stone wall, though the impact wasn't enough to cause any major harm. It did cause her to nearly be knocked out.

Ruby slumped against the stone wall, head tilting to the left. Her vision was becoming obscured with darkness slowly. She fought to keep her eyes open but was slowly losing. The explosion also temporarily damaged her hearing as she could only hear muffled voices and a ringing in her head. She could see two pairs of armored legs running towards her before succumbing to the darkness.

**A/N: So this chapter was mainly to test my skills in writing action. I need some insight here though. What do you all think of the action? Do you think it is too overbearing? Just fine? Could be written better? I just need some input on this topic before I decide to continue writing more action scenes because this journey will include a lot of action. I want to make sure at least most of you can bear to read the action before I write more of it. As always, thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey readers. Sorry that I haven't updated this story for a while. Like I said, my other story is a current priority. That and along with me being a little busy dealing with life and school. Still, I won't give up on this story. I'll see it through to the end. I'll try my best to find time to work on this story.**

**I received multiple questions asking if there are going to be other RWBY characters in this story. My answer to that is yes. A lot of them will appear in this story actually. When and where though, you'll all have to find out for yourselves as the story goes on.**

**Concerning the actual story, like I stated before, the progression through the game is going to be altered for the sake of the story such as enemy placement, the amount of enemies, and lore being told through other characters. That way it's not going to be an action scene every room Ruby walks into and you can learn more about the world without bringing facts out of nowhere. Just remember, PM me if you have any questions and please review if you can. As always, thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 4: Under Cardinal Tower**

"Is she still alive?" a muffled voice asked.

"She hit her head pretty hard but it's nothing life threatening. Although I may fear it could cause something like amnesia." another muffled voice answered.

"What's a young girl doing out here all alone?" the first one questioned again.

"Don't forget that you're young too. You may be a knight now, but you're still seventeen years old. To answer your question, I don't know why she's here alone. However, if she truly did make it here alone, she must have some combat experience." the second responded.

Ruby slowly opened her eyes. Although blurry at first, her vision cleared up in seconds. What she found was two men outfitted with knight armors. One of them was crouching beside her and looked like he was in his mid-thirties. His head was turned away from her and digging into his armor's pouch. The other man was standing behind the crouching man, eyes wandering the area and his sword at the ready. Although he was wearing a knight helmet, Ruby could see strands of blonde hair sticking out from the face hole of the helmet.

The standing knight noticed Ruby's eyes were watching him. "She's awake." he informed the other knight.

The crouching knight turned his head to meet Ruby's. Ruby started to panic, not knowing the men's intentions.

Before she could make a sound, the crouching knight gently covered her mouth with one hand. "Shhhh. We're not going to do anything to you. We're not going to harm you. We just were checking if you were still alive. I promise. Please don't scream, we don't want to attract the attention of Hollows. I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth. Again, please don't be loud." The knight removed his hand and Ruby did not scream or make any loud noises.

The standing knight made a 'phew' sound. "Thank goodness."

"W...who are you guys? Where are we? Ruby whispered, realizing they were not in the last place she remembered.

"We are traveling knights exploring Drangleic. I'm Pate and my student behind me is Jaune." Pate answered.

"Nice to meet you." Jaune greeted, eyes not meeting Ruby's and scanning the area for possible threatening hollows.

"Jaune and I are both Undead. We are scavenging supplies to get by right now. Don't worry, we didn't steal anything from you and don't plan to. We dragged you away from the rooftops since that area was full of Hollows. Right now our position is in outside corridors where you have entrance to multiple buildings. How are you feeling by the way? Your head looked like it took a rough landing." Pate continued.

Ruby say herself up and held her head with both hands. "It's a little dizzying but I can manage. I'm Ruby by the way. Did you say you're both Undead? I'm an Undead too."

"I presume that's one reason why you're out here alone?" Jaune asked, still not meeting Ruby's eyes.

"Y...yeah. I'm on a journey to seek a cure for this curse." Ruby informed them.

Pate handed Ruby her weapons. "Ah, so you're new here then." Pate stood up and offered a hand to Ruby. She accepted it and Pate pulled her up. "I do hope you realize many Undead came here for that very same quest. I know many that didn't survive."

Ruby carefully placed her weapons on her gear before answering. "I do know that. I'm still willing to try. I'm scared, but I'll do it."

"I wish you the best of luck little girl. Jaune and I are going to move on soon." Pate said as he checked his gear.

Ruby lifted up one finger. "Actually, maybe you two could settle in a coastal town called Majula. A merchant I know is moving there or is there right now as we speak. You two could replenish your supplies and rest there. Then maybe perhaps you could help me on my quest? I could give you directions." she offered.

Pate had an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry but Jaune and I have seen too many Undead who have taken that route go Hollow and essentially die on the inside. I'm really sorry. We could stop by Majula though and gain some respite there."

Ruby nodded her head in understanding. "I understand. Let me give you directions though." Ruby shared Majula's coordinates just like she did with Melentia.

"Thank you Ruby. Good luck on your quest." Pate waved Jaune over. "Let's get moving."

"Nice meeting you. It's hard to come across friendly Undead these days." Jaune informed Ruby as he passed by her. The two knights walked away, leaving Ruby alone once again.

Ruby sighed and continued on, going inside a building. Once inside, she was met with a collapsed interior. Sunlight poured in through the gaping hole that took the place of a wall and part of the roof. She decided to take a look of the view the hole presented. Before she could, movement sounded behind her. Ruby took notice of this.

She turned and searched the room with her eyes. Not finding anything or anyone other than spots something could hide behind, she moved towards them. Pulling out her scythe, she carefully checked behind each object. She found nothing behind each one and all that was left was a large stack of wooden crates in the corner of the room. It was also the darkest part of the room since it was the furthest away from the hole.

Slowly, Ruby approached the crates. She didn't know what to expect and she didn't look forward to finding out either. Still, there were a lot of things in this world that would threaten her life. She wasn't going to take a chance and turn her back on something that was potentially hostile. Only a few steps away Ruby was when one of the bottom crates was moved. Instinctively, Ruby back stepped and positioned herself in a combat stance.

A small lizard with crystals on its back emerged from behind the crates. It took a few small steps forward in short sessions, looked at Ruby, and then scurried past her and to a different room that was across from where the hole was. Ruby let out a small chuckle in response.

A large Hollow then smashed through the wooden crates with a large, two handed mace. It possessed a full suit of rusted iron armor and had a large back guard that resembled a turtle's shell. The only skin the large brute showed was deteriorating skin and menacing eyes in the eye holes of the Hollow's full helmet.

The iron Hollow raised its mace above its head and ran for Ruby. The young girl reacted by rolling to the side, avoiding the crushing force of the mace. The Hollow pulled its mace out of the floor and swung it left and right multiple times at Ruby. The girl was able to dodge by back stepping all of them.

She now knew one thing about the iron Hollow, it was slow. What remained a mystery to her though was how tough the armor was and would her weapons be able to cut through. Slashing would definitely not work against the beast and it didn't seem like it was smart to try and attack the Hollow's heavily armored back. Ruby observed her scythe, hoping it would be able to get the job done. The weapon's metal blade didn't look like it was ordinary metal just like that one man's armor back at the mossy rotunda.

Ruby came to a conclusion. _'It might just work.'_

The armored beast charged at Ruby. It attempted an overhead swing, aiming for the girl's head. Ruby ducked underneath it and moved behind the Hollow. The Hollow was aware though and reacted by falling backwards in an attempt to crush the girl.

It failed though as Ruby leapt back. Now it was her chance. With the Hollow on its back and its front open to an attack, Ruby arched her scythe though the air and into the chest of the Hollow. The blade pierced through the iron. The Hollow growled in pain as it was not enough to kill it. Ruby retracted her scythe from the beast before it stood back up.

It swung at Ruby again, clueless to how Ruby can repeatedly dodge the swings every time. However, it did jump and lunge for Ruby in attempt to crush the girl again.

Ruby almost bit the dust. She didn't know the beast would be able to jump at her like that. Especially with the heavy iron armor. She managed to throw herself out of harm's way, though one spike from the mace did scratch the girl. Now, the beast was on its front and the back was entirely guarded. Except for the back of its head.

Ruby picked herself up and rushed to the beast. The Hollow was pushing itself up, almost ready to be back on its feet. Ruby arched her scythe through the air again and hit her mark. The blade impaled through the back of the iron helmet and into the Hollow's skull. The Hollow fell completely flat and stayed there unmoving.

Ruby pulled her scythe out of the Hollow's head and proceeded to retract it into its sheathed form. She attached it to the back of her belt. She then dug into her pouch and grabbed a lifegem. She crushed it in her hand and a glowing dust like substance surrounded her very being. As the substance surrounded her, it healed the scratch that was inflicted on Ruby. The substance then disappeared after it did its job.

Ruby opened up her pouch and marveled at the lifegems. Whatever they were, they were just as incredible as the Estus Flask. Ruby then looked at the other items in her inventory. She wondered if the rest of these items were equally amazing.

She then noticed a shining object in the beast's armor pouch. She reached for it and pulled it out, revealing a golden shard. "This looks important." she stated to herself before adding the item to her pouch.

Ruby proceeded to resume what she had planned to do initially before she was attacked. She walked over to the giant gaping hole and looked out through it. She was met with a gorgeous view of an orange sky and a shimmering ocean. The view itself almost made Ruby forget that she was standing in a kingdom's ruins.

However, an orange sky meant it was going to be dark soon considering it was light blue not too long ago. Ruby walked away from the hole and entered the room the crystal lizard went inside earlier.

She explored more of the fallen barracks, finding a lot of rubble and darkness throughout most of it. Eventually, she reached a wooden platform that was hanging by four chains. It also had a square pressure plate in the middle of it.

Before she decided to investigate the platform, she went to check what a nearby hallway had for her. What surprised her though was that she found herself on the other side of the closed metal door from earlier. She tried opening it again and it actually opened this time. She saw the ladder she came down from earlier too. Ruby now had a shortcut.

With that out of the way, Ruby moved back to the hanging platform. It looked like it led down below to the dried riverbed. Ruby came to the conclusion that it was an elevator. A very unsafe and poorly designed elevator.

Still, Ruby climbed aboard and pressed her boots upon the pressure plate. The platform then descended, actually taking Ruby not to the riverbed, but underneath it. As it descended, it got darker. Ruby could still see, but she had to really focus on her vision in order to do so. The elevator came to a stop, presenting Ruby a dark and narrow hallway. At the end of the hallway, Ruby could see that it led to a cave and a large fog wall.

She easily moved through the hallway and soon found herself standing in front of the fog wall. She was hesitant to pass through the fog. The last time she did so, it ended up knocking her out and would have left her to the Hollows if it weren't for Jaune and Pate.

A hiss then sounded next to her and Ruby immediately unsheathed her scythe in response. She observed her surroundings, not finding a living thing, but a glowing sign on the ground a few meters away from her. The mysterious sign was written in a language foreign to her. Ruby walked over to it, carefully looking around for anything else that seemed suspicious. Once she was able to deduce that nothing else was there, she crouched down to examine the sign.

For the first few seconds, Ruby couldn't figure out what the sign was or what it was for. Her confusion was answered when a faded, spectral figure appeared over the sign. It was a phantom of Pate.

Ruby touched the sign and the spectral figure disappeared along with the sign. Ruby waited for a few seconds before a human-sized white hole spurting out a white mist appeared where the sign previously was. From the hole, a white, non-faded phantom of Pate emerged, emitting great radiance.

"Another Undead needs my help huh? Well I am glad to be of assistance." Phantom Pate greeted, performing a bowing gesture.

"Pate?" Ruby asked, lowering her weapon.

The spectral Pate adopted a confused expression. "How do you know...wait a minute, you've met me in this dimension already haven't you?"

Ruby nodded her head.

"Ooh! How exciting! Tell me, what am I like in this dimension?" Pate clasped his hands together in anticipation for the answer.

"Well, I didn't know you for very long but you and your partner protected me while I was knocked out. I am very thankful for that." Ruby answered.

"Heh heh. Good to hear that. Also, you...you met Jaune right?" Pate's last sentence had a tone of hurt.

Ruby noticed this. "Yeah. Why? Is something wrong?"

Pate shook his hands back and forth. "No, no, no! Nothing's wrong. It's just that...that in my dimension, Jaune...Jaune was killed by the beast behind this fog many times. Jaune lost hope and went Hollow."

"I'm...I'm sorry Pate. I didn't know." Ruby apologized.

Pate rubbed his eyes a little before adopting a small smile. "Ah it's alright. You couldn't have known." Phantom Pate grabbed his greatshield off his back along with a spear. "You ready to kill this beast? I know I'm ready to kill it...again."

"Wait, before we go, what can you tell me about what we're going up against?" Ruby questioned, wanting to have knowledge of what she's getting into as she fears the unknown.

Pate nodded his head. He changed his grip on his spear and let the butt of his weapon sit on the ground while he explained. "The monstrosity behind this fog is known to many others as the Last Giant. The last of a race of Giants that invaded this kingdom long ago. You know that forest you went through earlier? All those trees are actually dead Giants."

Ruby listened very carefully. "Really? How did this one survive?"

"I don't know exactly how it survived, but rumor has it that this Giant was the Lord or commander of the invading army. There was this one hero who stood against the Giant and knocked it off the battlements. I don't know how it survived the fall, but the hero must have gone through a lot just fighting the Giant Lord." Pate looked to the fog wall. "The monster isn't as strong right now compared to back then. Still, it is a threat and needs to be put down."

Ruby raised her weapon and took a deep breath. "Ok, I'm ready."

"That's good. You're the World Master though so you have to enter first." Pate advised.

Ruby touched the fog. It gave an opening for her to pass through. She walked through and into a larger cave and was joined by Pate five seconds later.

A large hole was very apparent at the top of the cave, presumably where the Giant fell through. On the other end of the cave was the Giant, impaled on a large stalagmite. It was very tall and also very thin too. Its arms were long and probably had good reach with them. It's skin resembled rotten wood and its face was just a giant black hole. It's breathing sounded like wind. The Giant slowly looked up to see who had entered the cave. The second it spotted an Undead and her phantom, it went into a crazed frenzy. It recklessly broke the stalagmite that impaled it and stood up. It looked down to its feet for a few seconds before suddenly looking at the two before it and charging towards them.

Ruby and Pate dodged to the side, avoiding the Giant's charge. As the Giant slowed its momentum, Pate moved to engage it, stabbing the Giant several times in the right leg. The Giant tries to stop on Pate, who dodges by rolling to the side again. The Giant faces Ruby, bends its knees, and tries to sweep Ruby with its arms. Ruby manages to jump over the arms and runs to the legs. She slashes the legs multiple times, assisted by Pate.

The Giant groans in anger and starts stomping around the two. Both Ruby and Pate avoid being squashed, but the Giant's stomps led to large rocks being flung at the two. The rocks hit the two, doing some damage.

Ruby and Pate continued to avoid the Giant's attacks and would get in a lot of hits on the Giant. Everything seemed well as the Giant lacked variety in its attacks. Everything seemed well, until the Giant tried something even Phantom Pate hadn't experienced while helping other Undead. It fell forward, squishing the unsuspecting Pate.

"Pate!" Ruby yelled out upon seeing her helper disappear underneath the large being.

The Giant pushed itself up, revealing the spectral Pate laying on the ground, his shield and spear smashed into multiple pieces. The glowing light of his phantom faded as he reached out towards Ruby with one arm. His arm then fell and his phantom dispersed into a mist. Then, the mist no longer existed.

Ruby watched the Giant with great fear as it approached her. It bent its knees again, indicating it was going for another sweeping attack. Ruby moved from her position long before the arms did their sweeping motion. She only managed to hit the giant once in the leg before it already reacted. The Giant stomped on Ruby's left leg before she even had a chance to recover from her attack. Her leg was completely demolished underneath the heavy force and no longer functioned when the monster removed its foot. Ruby fell onto the floor, releasing her hold on her scythe and gripping her bloodied, broken leg. Tears poured heavily from her eyes as she could only yell out in pain. She looked at her leg gushing out blood alarmingly fast and observed the broken bones that stuck out of her leg.

Ruby heard the Giant breathing directly above her. She looked up and helplessly looked the Giant in the face. The Giant raised its foot above her. Ruby cried. Her vision was obscured by her tears. The Giant brought its foot down, darkening Ruby's vision. Then, she was dead.

_Seven Hours Later_

Ruby got up from the stone floor, breathing heavily. It took a moment for her to calm herself down before she could think clearly and reasonably. The last thing she remembered was being in great pain and crying a lot.

She looked around the room and noticed she was sitting beside a bonfire. It took another few seconds of observing before she realized that she was in the room where she met Melentia.

Immediately afterwards, Ruby felt really terrible. She was about to throw up but managed to hold it in. Her entire being felt terrible. Something was off. Her breathing felt awkward, she felt depressed, and she felt faltering hope. Ruby took off her gloves. She gasped as she saw that her hands were decomposed. She removed her face mask and touched her face. It felt dry and rough. Her humanity was lost.

_'So this is the curse of the Darksign.' _Ruby rapidly hated it. She dug inside her pouch and grabbed one of her five Human Effigies.

_'Treasure every one you find.' _Neo's words reminded her before she used up the item.

Ruby stared at the effigy. Her current state was already becoming unbearable for her. It felt like a constant torture on its own. _'No wonder why others would kill me for this.'_ Ruby referred to the item in her hand. She had an internal conflict whether or not to use it. One side argued that she was going to die a lot, thus losing all of her Human Effigies. Another argued that she was capable of avoiding death. She would just have to be very careful.

Ruby came to a conclusion. She smashed the effigy against where her heart would be. She would be more careful. The item became a white mist that entered her body. As her skin reverted back to its human appearance, Ruby's breathing became very refreshing. She felt a great weight lifted off of her. She felt alive again and her hope flourished anew. She touched her skin and was relieved to feel it moist and smooth once again.

As much as she disliked it, she left the bonfire's warmth to face against the Giant once again. She stood over the ladder and put on her gloves and face mask. She then descended the ladder to the large balcony. This time, she went through the shortcut she opened for herself. Once again, she took the elevator down, walked down the dark hallway, and stood before the fog wall.

Pate's summon sign appeared on the floor again and Ruby touched it. Pate emerged from the white hole again in his spectral appearance. "Oh, it's you again. That body slam really hurt. I'm guessing you were defeated?" Pate guessed. Ruby nodded. "I see. I also presume you used a Human Effigy. Well, I'm still happy to be of assistance. Fortunately, Phantoms don't lose their humanity if they die in another dimension."

"I...I don't want to die again. This monster, it crushed my leg. I never want to feel that again." Ruby expressed.

"That's understandable. I promise you though that I'll try my best to help you win. You seem like a nice girl. I don't want you ending up like the Jaune in my world." Pate said.

"I...I don't want to go Hollow either." Ruby sighed as she unsheathed her scythe.

"Whenever you're ready." Pate announced as he too grabbed his equipment.

Ruby nodded and both of them walked through the fog. Already, the Giant was up and approaching them. Ruby and Pate dodged to the side again. The Giant tries to sweep both of them. The two avoid collision with the Giant's arms and went to work on the Giant's legs.

The monster retaliated with a stomping tantrum. Ruby and Pate avoided being crush and this time, avoided the rocks that were sent flying in the air. The two would continue to do this at a constant pace. Everything seemed like it was going well again. The Giant roared before it assaulted Pate by falling over him again. Pate was ready this time and just barely managed to avoid being flattened.

With the Giant down on the ground, Ruby and Pate attacked the head. The Giant groaned in pain as it struggled to get up. It tries to smash the two with it hands, it's attempt ultimately failing. It pushed itself back up and roared again in anger. It's right hand grabbed it's left arm and ripped it off. Now, the Giant intended to use its severed arm as a club.

The Giant moves over to Pate and attempts to vertically smash him with its new club. With its back facing Ruby, the young girl sprinted towards the monster. Suddenly, the monster turns to face her and smacks her to the side with its club.

Ruby went sailing in the air for a few seconds before landing roughly on the cave ground. She held her chest in pain. The Giant approached the girl. It prepared a smash by lifting its club over its head. Before it could smash Ruby, Pate intervened and stabbed the Giant's right leg at a very fast pace. The Giant looks down and tries to stomp on the Phantom.

With the Last Giant distracted, Ruby grabbed her Estus Flask, pulled down her face mask, and chugged down one of its two charges. Her energy was replenished and the pain just disappeared. She pocketed the flask and pulled up her mask.

Just as Ruby recovered, Pate was kicked by the Giant. He went sailing across the cave and impacted the wall. Ruby sliced at the Giant's legs in a pattern. She would hit one leg and then move to the other to hit it. She repeated this process until one of the Giant's legs was cut, causing the Giant to fall on it back.

Both Pate and Ruby climbed on top of its chest and started stabbing it. The Giant groaned again as it released its club and tried sweeping the two off of its chest. The two continuously dodged while attacking the monster's chest. It was until Pate was swept off, leaving Ruby as the only target in the monster's sight. It grabbed her and lifted her high into the air. The Giant proceeded to crush the girl in its grasp.

Ruby, with all her might, fought to resist being crushed. Slowly though, the Giant's fingers closed in on her. Soon, she would succumb to the pressure and be squashed.

Pate climbed on top of the Giant once more. He ran towards the Giant's head. He leapt and drove the spear deep into the hole of the Giant's head.

The Giant released Ruby and groaned once again, holding it's impaled face. Ruby moved to the side of the Giant's head and proceeded to stab it multiple times with her scythe. The Giant could only cry in pain until it fell silent. Now this time, it was the one who was dead.

Ruby fell on one knee and sighed of relief. Pate removed his spear from the dead Giant and walked next to the girl. He offered her a hand, which Ruby gladly accepted. Pate helped Ruby back on her feet and patted her on the shoulder.

"We did it. Good job. Go retrieve your prize." Pate pointed to a golden mist that was spurting out from the dead monster. Ruby touched the mist and it formed up into a ball into her hands before it was absorbed into her. "Congratulations. You now have the Last Giant's soul. You can choose to use it as currency, or you can just simply hold onto it within your very being." Pate's light began to fade. "It looks like my task here is complete. I will be returning to my world very soon."

"Thank you Pate. I couldn't have done it without your help." Ruby told spectral Pate.

"Happy to help. Good luck on your quest young lady. Do try your best to not go Hollow. Also, if you meet your world's Jaune again, can you please make sure he is safe?"

Ruby nodded her head. "If I come across him again, I'll try my best."

Pate smiled. It was only a few seconds before his Phantom disappeared, leaving Ruby alone in the large cave. Ruby sighed, knowing that she still had a lot more to go through if she was going to continue on with her quest to find a cure.

Her sides still stung a little due to almost being crushed by the Giant's hand. Ruby pulled out a lifegem and smashed it in her hand as she walked towards the exit. "Ok then. Back to Majula."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey readers. I wanted to point out something. There is another reason why I'm taking my time to update this. It is because of something called, **_**Scholar of the First Sin**_**. What that is exactly is a huge update that is coming to Dark Souls II on April. It is also Dark Souls II coming to the PS4 and Xbox One. Why this is important is because the update is going to fix the lore within the game. Not only that, but it's adding more storyline and characters to the game. (It's basically a free DLC along with a huge patch)**

**I'm trying to not get too far ahead because of this. This update for the game has the potential to completely change the story I have planned for this fic. That's why I'm being slow with this also. If that does happen, I won't be too far ahead and I'll be able to implement the newly added stuff and fixed information without rewriting the whole story. That's all for now. As always, thanks for reading.**

**Chapter 5: Return to Majula**

Neo paced around the bonfire. She was constantly on the lookout for the young Undead. Every hour that passed by where Ruby didn't return, Neo grew more and more worried about the fate that had came upon the young girl.

She tried to distract herself from the topic many times, but everything brought her mind back to Ruby. Her mind was so focused on the girl that the second she heard footsteps walking towards her, she instantly thought it was Ruby.

To both her joy and disappointment, it wasn't Ruby, but instead, a friend.

"Ah Neo, how have things been while I was away?" a fairly large man asked. His skin was a rotting green since he was an Undead. He had a shaved head and a beard. His apparel consisted of black boots and pants, a white shirt with a black apron over it, and a white circlet. He was carrying two large crates on his back.

"Hello Blacksmith Lenigrast. I see you've gotten supplies while you were away. To answer your question, something interesting did indeed occur while you were gone." Neo walked with Lenigrast to the blacksmith building.

"Is that so? Why, you must tell me." the Blacksmith asked with his interest peaked, opening the door of the building.

"Of course. A few things happened actually. The first one completely made me believe in finding the new monarch. A new Undead came here Lenigrast. After five years, another came. The Undead is only fifteen years old, but she seems to have great spirit and determination. I think she is the new monarch." the Emerald Herald said with much hope.

"Wh...what? An Undead from another land has come?" Lenigrast asked as he set down the two crates. Neo nodded her head. "Incredible. What's the Undead's name?"

"Ruby Rose." Neo answered, proceeding to lean on the doorway of the building. "She first came around a week ago. Since then, almost everyone here had been assisting her in combat, knowledge of the world, and all that stuff."

The Blacksmith was in the middle of emptying the crates of its contents and organizing the contents is specific areas around the building. "I see. Where is this Ruby?"

"I pointed her towards the forest to claim a large soul that lingers there. That was yesterday. She should have returned by now. I hope her fate wasn't sealed as a Hollow." Neo expressed. "Though, she seems to be doing what I asked of her. To get other Undead to come here. We already have a new member thanks to Ruby." Neo turned herself around and looked to Melentia, who was sitting by the entrance where Ruby first found the town.

"Huh. I will greet our newest member after I finish this." Lenigrast set a bunch of metals on the stone table next to the anvil.

"Another two Undead came by also thanks to Ruby. They didn't stay, but they rested here for a bit before moving on. I wished they stayed. They looked like capable fighters to help assist Ruby." Neo said before turning again towards Lenigrast.

"If Ruby does return, where do you plan pointing her next?" Lenigrast asked, still unloading the crates.

"Well I plan to let her at least rest here first. She's never been through anything like this before. It must be scary and exhausting for her. After I let her rest, I'll send her from where you came from." Neo informed.

The Blacksmith paused his actions. "You mean Heide's Tower of Flame?"

"Yes. That's where you came from getting your supplies right? I need information that I could give to Ruby to help her in any way I can." Neo announced.

"Well, I didn't just only go to the tower. I also went to the port of No Man's Wharf. There were a lot of useful materials there, but also a lot of demons and Hollows. Listen, if Ruby does return, I'll give her the information myself. Otherwise I'll just be wasting my breath telling you, only to learn that Ruby has gone Hollow." Lenigrast shoved a crate into the corner, now empty.

Neo sighed. "Understandable."

"Good to see you made it." Neo could faintly hear Melentia.

Neo departed from the building and walked outside. She saw standing next to Melentia was a young girl clad in red and black. Neo walked towards the two but ended up stopping near the bonfire since the young girl said goodbye to Melentia and walked towards Neo.

"Oh Ruby, I'm so glad you made it back." Neo greeted as she hugged the girl.

"It's great to be back. Look what I got." Ruby took a step back from Neo to show her the Last Giant's soul. "It wasn't easy, but I got it. This is what you're looking for right?" Ruby extended out the soul to the Herald.

"That's great Ruby! It's not for me though. This soul is meant to help you. To help strengthen you." Neo explained, lightly pushing Ruby's hand back to indicate the soul is hers.

"Oh, ok." The soul dissipated into Ruby's hand as the girl reached for something inside her pouch. "How about this?" Ruby pulled out a golden shard and extended her arm once again towards Neo.

"You found an Estus Flask Shard. Now this, I can take to use for your benefit. Hand me your flask too. I'm going to infuse the two while you rest here." Neo grabbed both the shard and the flask.

Ruby had a look of relief while Neo moved to the bonfire and sat next to it. She dropped the shard inside the flask and placed it in the bonfire, letting the Estus that emitted from the bonfire surround the flask. Neo pulled out a magical feather and directed movement of the Estus with the feather. Ruby joined Neo by the light and sat next to her. A little too close for comfort, but Ruby didn't seem to notice and Neo didn't seem to mind. Ruby watched the show Neo performed with the Estus.

"Enjoying the view?" Neo asked, making a couple of small swiping motions with her feather.

"Definitely. How are you doing that with a feather?" Ruby asked, putting down her mask, removing her gloves, and storing them in her pouch.

"This isn't just a regular feather. It was bestowed to me by Lord Aldia. He was a man who was quite interested in his experiments. This feather, is a result from one of them. Sure, he got the feather from an ancient bird, but it was his enchanting that makes this item so special. He found a couple of uses for it, and one of them is what you currently see me doing." Neo made a few more gestures with the feather before she finally came to a halt. She placed the feather somewhere underneath her cloak and grabbed the flask from the fire.

"Here you go Ruby. Now it has three charges that you may use." Neo delicately placed it in Ruby's hands, displaying to the girl a small, sweet smile.

"Thank you." Ruby said shyly, looking down and concealing a smile. It took a few seconds for her to notice that their hands were still together. Ruby gripping the flask and Neo holding the back of Ruby's hands.

"So I see Ruby Rose has made it back." Lenigrast said from in front of the Blacksmith building, which was about fifteen meters away from the bonfire.

While Neo turned to face him, Ruby kept her head down to hide her blush. Neo stood up. "Ruby, allow me to introduce to you Blacksmith Lenigrast. He's an Undead just like you. He can repair your items, reinforce them, or replenish your stock of arrows. All just for some souls you collect by defeating your enemies."

Ruby pocketed the flask and stood up to go and shake hands with the man. "Nice to meet you Lenigrast."

"And you as well. Neo seems to have high hopes invested in you." The two released each other's hands. "Should problems arise concerning your equipment, don't hesitate to ask me." Lenigrast offered.

"Actually, umm...is there any chance you make my dagger stronger?" Ruby grabbed her dagger and showed it to the Blacksmith.

He grabbed the weapon and observed. "Can I make it stronger? Of course I can girl! Tell you what, this order is free. It'll be ready by tomorrow."

"Really? Thank you!" Ruby answered to Lenigrast generous offer.

"No problem. For now though, I'm going to introduce myself to our new member." Lenigrast pocketed Ruby's parrying dagger in his apron and then walked over to Melentia.

"Have you talked to Melentia yet?" Ruby asked the Emerald Herald.

"Yeah. I introduced myself to her the second she arrived. I also showed her around. She seems set on setting a shop by the entrance." Neo said.

"If I can get more Undead to stay here, she'll definitely make income here." Ruby said, watching Lenigrast and Melentia speak with each other.

Neo placed a gloved hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Walk with me Ruby." Ruby obeyed and walked alongside Neo and towards the mansion. "I really appreciate that you're taking on this task. Continuing off where others gave up. Thank you. It's unsettling to send you off to dangerous places."

"I can see why. I was in so much pain when that giant crushed my leg and killed me." Ruby announced.

"What?!" Neo stopped walking, her body turning to face Ruby. She cupped Ruby's right cheek with her left hand. "You...you poor thing. I'm so sorry."

Ruby grabbed Neo's hand. "Don't be sorry Neo. It was my fault. I failed to assess the situation and I paid for it. I still have four effigies left. I'm going to be much careful next time."

The door to the mansion opened, gaining the attention of the two girls. A middle-aged man with tousled grey hair stepped out from the mansion, holding his cane. His apparel consisted of a dark-green scarf, a dark green tunic, a black long coat, black pants, black shoes, and shaded spectacles.

"Is there something wrong girls?" the man asked.

"You've...you've recovered! Ruby, allow me to introduce you to the landlord of Majula. Ruby, meet Lord Ozpin." Neo introduced the two.

"Ah yes, my servant told me that we had a newcomer. It's a pleasure to meet you Ruby." Ozpin performed a bow.

"T...the pleasure is mine." Ruby bowed back.

"Glynda, come meet the arrival you informed me about." Ozpin called into the mansion.

A few seconds later, a middle-aged woman with light-blonde hair walked to Ozpin's side. She wore a white long-sleeved suit. She also had a black skirt with black stockings with black boots. Ruby bowed towards her, Glynda returning the gesture.

"So Neo, are you still doing your assigned task?" Ozpin asked, a gentle smile on his face.

"Yep. It's currently in motion. It's just up to Ruby depending if she can accomplish her quest or not. I believe she can do it. She can unite the Undead." Neo expressed her belief.

"That's great Neo." He turned to face Ruby. "Any Undead you find are welcome here. Let them know that. I wish to see all Undead lose their curse. Before you ask, I am not an Undead. I only wish to help. I do not fear the curse, hence why I am open arms to the Undead."

Glynda tugged on Ozpin's arm. "Milord, you may feel better, but I still recommend another day of rest."

Ozpin sighed, but then smiled at his servant. "Thank you Glynda. I'll take your advice. I'll see you girls tomorrow. I wish to talk with you some more. The mansion is open at any time. Come in whenever you want. No need to knock." Ozpin and Glynda entered the building, Neo and Ruby waving goodbye.

"Come Ruby, let us eat. I'm sure you must be starving." Neo offered. As if on cue, Ruby's stomach growled. Neo giggled. "I'll take that as a yes."

_Thirty Minutes Later_

Ruby, Neo, Lenigrast, Saulden, Maughlin, and Melentia sat around the bonfire, eating their meals.

"It's wonderful that Ozpin is going to be up again. I thought he would have to live on his bed for the rest of his life." Maughlin commented after Neo told them the status of the landlord. He turned to Ruby. "So Ruby, how did my wares perform. I hope they hadn't left you in disappointment."

Ruby took a sip from her soup before answering. "No, no! They worked great! I survived many of my encounters with them. I didn't realize they were made with materials I've never known existed before. My dagger is currently with Lenigrast to be improved though. It's great and all, but it could always be more powerful. Sorry if that offends you."

Maughlin dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Ah it's nothing to worry about. Besides, you're right, everything could use improvement. I'm just glad you're satisfied with your equipment."

"It's good that you survived. Though I still don't think you'll accomplish your quest." Saulden said, eyes never leaving his soup.

"Saulden!" Neo stated, disappointed with Saulden's lack of hope.

"Oh sorry." Saulden's eyes met Ruby's. "Don't mind my words Ruby. I'm just..,just still shaken up from my quest. I won't lie to you, your quest won't and will never be easy. Just...just don't go Hollow."

Wanting to change the topic, Lenigrast acted. "So Ruby, where do you hail from. You certainly don't seem like you're from here considering all this stuff is new to you."

Ruby finished her soup by drinking it all out of her wooden bowl. She let out an 'ah' of content before gently setting the bowl to the side. "I come from the Kingdom of Vale. It was a nice and peaceful kingdom. When everyone started to become cursed though, everything changed. People were being deported from the kingdom. When the city guards learned that I was cursed too, they barged into my house and...and...and..." The girl couldn't finish her tale. She remembered what happened after they barged into her house._ 'M...mom...'_ she thought. Small tears started to fall from her eyes.

Everyone noticed this and stopped eating. "Ruby?" Lenigrast asked.

Ruby noticed all eyes were upon her. She looked around, her vision blurred with tears. "I...I...I'm sorry. I...I need to be alone." Ruby hastily stood up and ran towards the exit of the town.

"Oh no. You all stay here. I'll get her." Neo stood up and went after Ruby. Chasing the young girl to the point where they went to the gazebo where Ruby first started off. Ruby sat on her knees in the center of the gazebo. "Ruby!" Neo yelled, standing outside the gazebo.

Ruby slowly her head slowly, wet silver eyes meeting a pair of brown and pink eyes. "I...I...I..."

Neo walked into the gazebo and to the girl that was in the center. She kneeled down and wrapped her arms around the young girl, holding her tight. "Ruby, what's wrong?"

Ruby only held onto Neo tight, weeping like there was no tomorrow. Neo brushed the back of Ruby's hair while she held her in their embrace. It took some time, but it eventually got to a point where Ruby couldn't force out more tears. Neo patiently waited the whole time.

"I'm sorry Neo, but you should've left me alone. I'm just wasting your time." Ruby sniffed a couple of times after.

"And leave you alone in this condition? No Ruby. I care about you. You're never wasting my time. Got it?" Neo argued.

"O...ok. I'm sorry Neo. I'm sorry about all this. I thought by now, I would have been over...over...ov-"

"Shush Ruby. It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything if you're not ready or you don't want to. I'll be fine with either." Neo interrupted. "Do you need anything Ruby? I don't want to be sending you out into the world in this state."

"No Neo. I'm fine. It was just in the moment. That's all. I'll be good again by tomorrow morning." Ruby wiped away her tears.

"Are you sure?" Neo asked, wanting to confirm the girl's state of being.

"Yes Neo. I'll be fine." Ruby answered the questioning herald.

Neo hummed, not too sure if Ruby was in the right condition. She stood up, making Ruby stand up also. "We'll see. As much as I want you to become the new monarch and help you complete your quest, I won't let you suffer. We'll see if you're good to go by tomorrow morning. If you're not, you'll be staying in Majula for the time being until you have fully recovered."

"But Neo, I told you that-"

"No Ruby. I'm not taking any chances. As much as you want to find the cure, it'll be useless if you suddenly breakdown during combat. It won't end well." Neo interrupted Ruby again.

Ruby remained silent, having no words to say at the moment.

"Do you want to stay here or head back to Majula? Either way, I'm staying with you." Neo grabbed Ruby's hands and clasped them together, both of her hands on the backs of Ruby's hands.

Ruby felt a comfort run over her. Her hands were warned by Neo's own. Her mind finally settled into peace. "We...we should probably head back to town. The others might be worried." she answered.

Neo nodded. She grabbed ahold of one of Ruby's hands and guided them back to the town.

_Thirty Minutes Later_

"So yeah, that's what you'll be expecting from Heide's Tower of Flame." Lenigrast concluded, ending the advice he was giving to Ruby about the sunken city.

"To summarize, I have to deal with large Knights that are wielding large weapons and wearing old, but reliable armor?" Ruby confirming what she heard was correct. Lenigrast nodded. "Great. Anyways, what happened to the city? Why is it sunk?"

"I wish I knew the answer myself girl. It must be very old though, ancient even as no one seems to know the origins of the city. The only thing known was that it was called Heide, and it had large Knights defending it. The only traversable part of the city is the part that isn't sunk. Only a select number of buildings are sticking out of the water. They are the only things that allow you from place to place over there." Lenigrast stood up, yawning. It was dark out, the bonfire and lanterns that were lit around the town providing light sources. When Neo and Ruby had returned, it was already almost dark. "I'm going to grab some rest. If you have any more questions Ruby, I'll answer them in the morning."

Ruby nodded in understanding. Upon hearing this, she went to grab the sleeping bag that was provided to her when she first slept at Majula. She set her sleeping spot next to the bonfire, wanting to sleep in its comforting warmth.

Neo herself also placed her sleeping bag beside the bonfire. She laid down in it after she set it. "Things will change Ruby, because of you. I can tell."

"Do you really think I can make a difference?" Ruby asked, laying down in her sleeping bag now.

"I think so Ruby. There's just something about you that I haven't felt from every other Undead I've met. When I look at you, I feel different as opposed to everyone else I look at. You're different from everyone else. I think that's why you can make a difference." Neo explained, staring up into the stars.

Ruby didn't know what to say about that. This world was still very new to her. She would have to learn about it. Right now though, she was tired so she said what seemed appropriate. "Sounds nice then. Goodnight Neo." Ruby closed her eyes and curled up into a ball underneath her blanket.

"Goodnight Ruby." Neo turned her head and watched Ruby sleep. The young girl was already sound asleep. _'Why are you so different Ruby? Why can't I understand this feeling when you're around? Whatever it is, it's only caused by you. I don't know why that is so, but whatever happens, just don't learn the true me. Things won't end well if you do.'_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I just wanted to thank all of you for your patience. I realize that waiting for an update in large increments of time can sometimes be frustrating. I apologize for that. I just don't like to keep people waiting, but life has a way of keeping people busy. That and both my other story and the massive update I mentioned last chapter. Again, thank you for your patience and support for the story. As always, thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 6: Heide's Tower of Flame**

"Ruby? Ruby wake up." Neo was shaking the young girl awake, stopping when Ruby finally opened her eyes. "Had a good sleep?"

Ruby rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, yawning. "Y-yeah. It was nice." she answered tiredly.

Neo sat beside Ruby and placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "How are you feeling? Think you are able to take on your adventure?"

"Yeah, I think I am." Ruby answered, rapidly blinking to clear up her vision.

Neo still looked concerned. "Are you sure? I don't want you going Hollow."

Ruby stretched her arms and then stood up to stretch her legs. "I promise that I'm fine Neo. It's good to know you care a lot though."

Neo bit the bottom of her lip before sighing. "Fine. You better not being lying to me." She stood up. "When you're ready, meet me at the mansion. Lord Ozpin would like to have a word with you." Neo walked away from Ruby and towards the mansion.

Ruby yawned again as she watched the tri-colored girl walk inside the mansion. She then went to gather her gloves, her mask, and her equipment. Once she was sure she had everything, she did as what Neo told her.

Ruby noticed the sun was shining bright on the coastal town. The brightness made the town feel more alive. It got Ruby to notice how beautiful the town was if you ignored the rubble around, the giant hole, and the slightly damaged buildings. The grass beneath her boots had autumn colors to it and was abundant in and around the town.

She entered the mansion after making her observation, being greeted by Glynda. "Good morning." Ruby said to the older woman.

"Good morning miss Rose. Lord Ozpin and the Emerald Herald are in the room just past me." Glynda jerked a thumb towards the doorway behind her.

"Thank you." Ruby responded, causing Glynda to nod in acknowledgement. Ruby then walked through the doorway Glynda pointed out, finding both Ozpin and Neo sitting at a rectangular wooden table, both of them having a drink."

"Ah, Ruby! Please have a seat." Ozpin gestured Ruby towards the empty seat across from him. "Would you like a drink?"

Ruby took her position in the seat Ozpin suggested. "No thank you. Thank you for offering. Anyways, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes I did. I want to talk to you about many things, but I know you have a quest to complete so I'll tell you more about those many things another time. For now though, I would like to ask: How do you plan on getting more Undead to come here? It's not that I'm questioning your ability to do so. Just curious how." Ozpin explained, taking a sip from his mug afterwards.

"Oh, well I first plan to make sure the Undead is friendly before I send anyone back her. If I come to that conclusion, I'll mention to them that this place will be a safe haven for them. A place to rest from the harsh things in this world. I can also make mention of finding a cure. That might grab some attention. I could tell them that I need their help to achieve such a thing." Ruby answered, placing her arms on the table and intertwining her own fingers with each other.

Ozpin rubbed the bottom of chin. "I see. Well, just be safe when you do so. It'll be great to have more Undead her, but it'll be terrible if we lose the only Undead who's completely willing to a cure for the Darksign." Ozpin advised, referring to Ruby.

"Gotcha." Ruby replied enthusiastically, giving a thumbs up.

"Alright then, I won't keep you any longer from your journey. Whenever you return though, I would like to speak with you again. I have many tales that I think you'll find interesting." Ozpin offered Ruby a smile.

Ruby stood up from her seat. "I'm sure I will. It was a pleasure." She slightly bowed her head before showing herself out the mansion. Neo went after Ruby, meeting her a few meters away from the front of the mansion.

"Come on Ruby, Lenigrast should have your dagger ready." Neo said as she moved past Ruby.

"Oh right! I almost forgot about that." Ruby ran, reducing her speed to walking when she caught up with Neo.

As they walked towards the blacksmith's, Neo playfully and gently bumped Ruby to the side with her hip, emitting a small chuckle afterwards. Ruby smiled and did the same. Both girls chuckled.

"You know, spending time with makes me forget about the kind of world we live in when we're not talking about it." Neo commented.

Ruby pulled up her mask to hide the blush that formed on her face. "R-really?" Ruby shyly asked.

Neo nodded. "Yes, really. It's a nice change, forgetting that this kingdom is pervaded with death. Another reason why I worry for your safety. I don't want to return to that depressed mood you first found me in."

"Wow. I-I feel honored that I grant you such. I promise you, I'll do my best to survive." Ruby said.

Neo patted Ruby on top of the head. "I know you will."

The two approached the entrance of the blacksmith building, Lenigrast standing by the doorway. "Ah Ruby! There you are! Your dagger is new and improved. Enjoy." Lenigrast handed the parrying dagger to Ruby, who sheathed it to her side.

"Thank you Lenigrast. It will come in great use." Ruby performed a bow to further express her appreciation.

"Not a problem at all Ruby. You still heading to Heide?" Lenigrast inquired.

"That's the plan." Ruby stated.

Lenigrast slowly retreated back into his building. "Ok then. Be safe Ruby. Remember what I told you about what you can expect from there." Lenigrast grabbed his hammer and began pounding on a material that laid on the anvil.

"Come. I'll point you in your next direction." Neo gestured Ruby to follow her. The two walked to the east side of the town and towards the small mountain that was close by. Neo stopped them both when they stood in front of a large stone archway. Underneath the archway was an opening that led inside the small mountain. "You can get to Heide from here. This mountain cuts a path directly towards Heide."

"Alright then. I suppose I should get going." Ruby remarked, grabbing her scythe.

"Perhaps." Neo simply stated.

"Here I go." Ruby said silently to herself as she approached the opening. She took about seven steps, every step moving away from comfort and safety.

"Wait Ruby." Neo called from behind.

Ruby turned around. "Huh?"

Neo walked up to Ruby and granted her a hug. "I have to do this every time you leave for your quest."

Ruby gladly hugged back. "Why? Is this a part of your task or something?"

"Nope. I just want to do this every time. Just for you." Neo admitted.

Ruby's heart was touched. She was glad she was having this effect on Neo. It felt nice, and right. Alas, the two had to end their hug. "See you later Neo." the younger girl said. Neo waved goodbye before walking back towards the center of the town.

Ruby walked through the large stone archway and to the opening. The opening had a staircase going down a tunnel. She went down the steps, coming to a circular room, there is a pillar in the center with a symbol on it. She examined it, but couldn't find a significance to it. Ruby then looks to her get and right. Both sides featured a hallway that led somewhere. The left hallway was gated off though, leaving Ruby no choice, but to go through the right hallway. She was then led to a spiral staircase. She descended the stairs, taking her to a room with a large door. Upon entering the room and staying to the ledge on the left, Ruby pulls a chain which opens the door. Going through the door led her to a waterway and a hallway, She goes through the hallway, taking her to the entrance of the sunken city of Heide.

As she walks through the entrance, Ruby is greeted with a beautiful vista of the flooded towers and sprawling walkways that she was informed about.

"Wow. What a sight." she comments on the view. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Sure, she knew the city had sunk, but not to this great extent. Mainly towers were the ones able to stand tall above the water. Ruby looked to the left and right. Off in the distance to the left, she noticed the large cathedral with its bridge up. It was a massive building. It stirred the girl's curiosity. Off in the distance to the right though was a tower that emitted flames from the very top. It was open around the tower closest to the water and there appeared to be a small platform inside above the water.

Deciding that she was done looking at the city, Ruby entered it. She moves straight ahead to a round platform with upward stairs. Going straight up the stairs, she encounters a mace-wielding old Knight. Lenigrast's description of them were on point. The Knight was large and wore large, rusted armor. However, Lenigrast also described them as slow, which Ruby could use to her advantage.

Ruby tested the waters first. She slowly walked up to the Knight until it initiated an attack. It directly slammed its mace down two times and then followed up with a side swing, Ruby dodging and observing each one. "Quite the strength build am I right?" she asked the old Knight. Obviously, the Knight did not respond, only moving forward to try and kill Ruby. "Ok, not in the mood for talking then."

The Knight attempted a side swing again. Ruby duck underneath it, countering with a spiral attack. The blade of her scythe is caught in the Knight's leg as a result. Ruby ripped the scythe out of the leg and backed up. The Knight slammed its mace on the ground and grinded it across the stone floor as it charged towards Ruby. When it neared Ruby, the red themed girl rolled to the Knight's side, narrowly avoiding the massive force of the mace when the Knight jerked it in an upward swing. Quickly moving behind it, Ruby went for a backstab.

Suddenly, the old Knight turned one-hundred and eighty degrees and swooped Ruby off of her feet by sweeping her legs with the pole of the mace. Ruby fell on her back and watched the hulking figure standing above her raise its two-handed mace above its head with fearful eyes. She rolled to side as the mace came down. When it missed, the mace rapidly came back up, preparing for another slam. Ruby rolled to the side again to avoid the other attack before quickly crawling in between the Knight's legs and emerging behind it. Ruby quickly turned around and with a lot of power, shoved her scythe's blade into the Knight's back in a downward arc.

The Knight made a hollow sound of pain before falling on its knees and disappearing into a mist that is carried away by the slight wind. It left something behind, causing Ruby to pick up the item. She observed it and it was a small pouch with dust in it that had a golden essence to it. Looking important, Ruby placed it in her bag.

Ruby took a moment to catch her breath before proceeding upstairs. She went through an archway to another platform with a contraption in the ground. Curious, Ruby inspects it. When she approaches it, the contraption opens and raises a post with a lever. Ruby was unsure of pulling down the lever. It could be a potential trap or provide something beneficial. She checked her surroundings first before pulling down the lever and quickly stepping back. Ruby then sees that the lever had stirred something in the tower she saw earlier. The tower of the flaming top. in the distance directly across from the lever, a platform rose from beneath the water and into the tower, expanding the existing platform that was already in the tower. Once that there was no more movement occurring at the tower, Ruby walked left from the lever and across a long walkway. As she walked across, Ruby peered down to the water below. It must have gone very deep as she could see the tops of what appeared to be towers and buildings submerged in the water with the occasional rock that jutted out. She couldn't imagine what the city was like before it sunk or how life in was like. Her questions about the former city grew and grew as she traversed it more. Looking back up to her path, she enters a tower, heart instantly pounding fast as she sees three old Knights standing inside.

The three were positioned differently in the tower. One blocked a path to the left. Another blocked a path to the right. The third one stood in the middle. The Knights to the left and right wielded a shield and sword. The one in the middle held a giant greatsword with both hands. Fortunately for Ruby, only the middle Knight approaches her while the other two stay at their positions and observe. Ruby approaches it and dodges a series of attacks from the large being. After a minute, Ruby noticed its attack pattern was the same at the mace-wielding one. Using the knowledge to her advantage, she does the same actions she took against the previous Knight. She dodge various attacks and also the sudden counterattack that caught Ruby by surprise last time. She then ended the Knight life by slashing it multiple times when she had the chance.

Ruby sighed a sigh of relief. It would not last long though as the Knights that were watching rushed towards her together. The first Knight approached her, swinging its sword left, right, left, Ruby ducking underneath it all. She moved behind the first, but then had to avoid being impaled by the second when it thrusted it's sword towards her. She moved to the second Knight's arm, but then she was bashed on the back of the head by the first Knight's shield. The second Knight made its move and swung at the girl. She attempted to block with her scythe, partially succeeding as she avoided decapitation but still caught the blade on her left arm. Fortunately, her left arm had metal plating on it, reducing the pain a little that was inflicted.

Ruby failed to avoid the kick the first Knight performed, harshly knocking the wind out of Ruby and onto the floor. As she got up, the two Knights approached her. Luckily, she was able to catch her breath. She ran towards them. She saw that second Knight was ready for another thrusting attack. Ruby ran in between the two and stood there for a bit. The second she saw that Knight moving its sword towards her, she jumped out of the way. The second Knight ended up impaling the first Knight in the leg, stunning the first and leaving the second's weapon stuck in its comrade. Ruby now took the opportunity that was created. She ran up to the two and performed a spiral attack on both of the Knights' heads, decapitating the two before they disappeared into a mist.

Ruby waited to catch her breath again and crushed a lifegem. As she waited, she thanked Saulden in her head for teaching her. If it weren't for him, she would have gone Hollow long ago. There was no denying that he was a great combatant. Just a great combatant with little to no hope.

A lever then emerged from inside the tower. It extruded from ground and pointed in the direction of the flaming tower. Ruby pulled the lever, causing another platform to emerge up into the tower of flame.

Ruby goes to the right path, which leads to a walkway and a staircase down to another platform. It doesn't take Ruby too long to approach the tower she raised platforms for. At the entrance of the tower lies a fog wall. She cautiously approaches the fog. Before she does so, she can see something glowing on the floor to the right of her. She turns her attention away from the fog and towards the glowing object. When she realizes the glowing sign is a summon sign, she jumps in joy. She touched the sign, summoning the phantom. Ruby waited a few seconds before the phantom emerged.

The phantom emerged from the spot where the sign was placed. The phantom wore a full helmet and chainmail armor with metal platings on the arms and legs along with a white cloak. The phantom was also fairly muscular looking. The spirit wielded a Zweihander and a rounded shield. "Hello. I am named Glencour. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Glencour bowed.

Ruby returned the gesture. "The pleasure is mine. Say, your helmet resembles that of those Hollows I fought back at the forest."

"Ah yes. My formed brothers-in-arms. Gods rest their souls. I am, to my knowledge, one of last surviving Royal Knights of Drangleic. I used to serve the King, until he fled and darkness grew over the kingdom. To some people I am called, 'Masterless Glencour," because of such. You may call me that it just my name. I don't mind at all."

"Ok. My name is Ruby. Tell me Glencour, what's in this tower of flame that I should know about?" Ruby asked.

"Ah, you're entering the tower. Well Ruby, the Dragonrider should be waiting for us behind that fog." Glencour answered.

"Dragonrider?" Ruby repeated.

Glencour nodded. "Yes. The Dragonrider served the King faithfully. He wields a halberd and a greatshield. He is not particularly fast, but does have great strength. Circling around to his back will keep you safe from his sweep attacks and leaves him open for attack. He can be staggered after several hits. I know this because I've helped several fellow Undead with this being."

"Thank you for letting me know. You ready?" Ruby asked.

"Always." Glencour gripped his equipment hard as the two approached the fog.

"HELP!" some yelled. Both Ruby and Glencour heard the cry. It sounded faint though, meaning that it was fairly distant. The person cried for help again. This time though, Glencour was able to pinpoint the source of the sound.

"I think it's coming from back there." Glencour pointed in the direction of the tower where Ruby fought the three Knights.

"Come on. Let's check it out." Ruby ran back to where she approached, followed by the Royal Soldier. The two ran into the tower where Ruby fought and this time, took the left path. The two ran across the stone floor and up the stone stairs.

Emerging at the top, Ruby gasped when she finds a regular, human knight fighting a two red phantoms. The knight had his helmet open and had some injuries around his body. It was obvious that the human knight was worn out as his attacks with his sword looked uncoordinated. It was only until Ruby realized who the knight was did she rush into action.

Ruby ran towards the human knight and the two red spirits, followed by Glencour. She let the knight know she was on his side. "We have your back Jaune!"


End file.
